Natural epigenetic variation in Arabidopsis thaliana

We are interested in Arabidopsis natural variation, and in particular epigenetic variations. We detected several allelic incompatibilities between different accessions (with important phenotypic consequences) that can be explained only by DNA methylation polymorphisms. The goal of this project is to characterize one of these natural epivariants impacting plant fitness and to understand the molecular mechanisms associated.
The project consists in the study of one incompatibility observed in the cross Nok-1 x Col-0. Preliminary results revealed a difference of expression between these accessions for a specific gene located on chromosome 5 and involved in tRNA editing. These differences are correlated with a polymorphism of methylation in the gene and the methylation is linked to the presence of a paralog located at a second locus on chromosome 1 in Nok-1. We will characterize the structures linked to the chromosome 5 methylation and the molecular pathways controling the methylation and its heritability.
This project that aims at characterizing these new epivariants existing in natural populations will benefit from the unique position of our group at the interface of expertises in epigenetics and natural variability.

PhD subject IJPB 2011 from research group Epigenetic natural variation