Differential regulation of heterochromatin and euchromatin by GmDDM1 during seed development ensures seedling viability in soybean

Fuente: Wiley Open Access
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ahsen Gers, Kana Shiraishi, Kaoru Tonosaki, Satoru Okamoto, Akito Kaga, Ryota Kuroda, Jun‐Ichi Matsuoka, Atsushi Toyoda, Taiji Kawakatsu, Chiho Maruko, Kazuki Takahashi, Keiichi Okazaki, Moeko Okada, Eigo Fukai
Format: Artículo Open Access
Published: Wiley 2026
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1867018837712437249
author Ahsen Gers
Kana Shiraishi
Kaoru Tonosaki
Satoru Okamoto
Akito Kaga
Ryota Kuroda
Jun‐Ichi Matsuoka
Atsushi Toyoda
Taiji Kawakatsu
Chiho Maruko
Kazuki Takahashi
Keiichi Okazaki
Moeko Okada
Eigo Fukai
author_facet Ahsen Gers
Kana Shiraishi
Kaoru Tonosaki
Satoru Okamoto
Akito Kaga
Ryota Kuroda
Jun‐Ichi Matsuoka
Atsushi Toyoda
Taiji Kawakatsu
Chiho Maruko
Kazuki Takahashi
Keiichi Okazaki
Moeko Okada
Eigo Fukai
Ahsen Gers
Kana Shiraishi
Kaoru Tonosaki
Satoru Okamoto
Akito Kaga
Ryota Kuroda
Jun‐Ichi Matsuoka
Atsushi Toyoda
Taiji Kawakatsu
Chiho Maruko
Kazuki Takahashi
Keiichi Okazaki
Moeko Okada
Eigo Fukai
collection Wiley Open Access
contents Differential regulation of heterochromatin and euchromatin by GmDDM1 during seed development ensures seedling viability in soybean Ahsen Gers Kana Shiraishi Kaoru Tonosaki Satoru Okamoto Akito Kaga Ryota Kuroda Jun‐Ichi Matsuoka Atsushi Toyoda Taiji Kawakatsu Chiho Maruko Kazuki Takahashi Keiichi Okazaki Moeko Okada Eigo Fukai The Plant Journal SUMMARY DECREASED IN DNA METHYLATION 1 (DDM1) is a chromatin remodeling factor that plays a major role in maintaining heterochromatin silencing and DNA methylation in plants. The soybean ( Glycine max ) genome, known for its large amount of pericentric heterochromatin, contains two DDM1 orthologs: GmDDM1a and GmDDM1b . In order to understand their functional roles in seed development, a process in which DNA methylation plays a significant role, we conducted mutant analysis. Single mutant and sesquimutant plants were healthy and produced seeds normally, but double mutants did not survive after germination. Methylome analysis of immature seeds detected an extensive decrease in methylation of CG and CHG sites in mutants. In fact, levels of CHG hypomethylation were correlated to the number of mutant alleles; however, severe CG methylation loss was only seen in double mutants. RNA‐seq results showed that more than 3000 transposable elements (TEs) were activated transcriptionally in double mutants, which is consistent with the severe hypomethylation in their pericentromeric regions. Besides, we found 1388 protein‐coding genes commonly increased in expression in all mutant genotypes (“Shared‐up”), whereas 558 genes were only derepressed in double mutants (“Double‐up”). These “Double‐up” genes were largely found in heterochromatic regions, while “Shared‐up” genes were mainly spread over the euchromatic chromosomal arms in which hypomethylation of mutants was substantially less than that of heterochromatin. These results explain the pivotal role of GmDDM1 in maintaining heterochromatin silencing and suggest the existence of a distinct GmDDM1‐mediated euchromatin silencing mechanism during soybean seed development. 10.1111/tpj.70921 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor
doi_str_mv 10.1111/tpj.70921
format Artículo Open Access
id wiley_oa_10_1111_tpj_70921
institution Wiley Open Access
license_str_mv http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor
publishDate 2026
publisher Wiley
record_format wiley_oa
spellingShingle Differential regulation of heterochromatin and euchromatin by GmDDM1 during seed development ensures seedling viability in soybean
Ahsen Gers
Kana Shiraishi
Kaoru Tonosaki
Satoru Okamoto
Akito Kaga
Ryota Kuroda
Jun‐Ichi Matsuoka
Atsushi Toyoda
Taiji Kawakatsu
Chiho Maruko
Kazuki Takahashi
Keiichi Okazaki
Moeko Okada
Eigo Fukai
The Plant Journal
Differential regulation of heterochromatin and euchromatin by GmDDM1 during seed development ensures seedling viability in soybean Ahsen Gers Kana Shiraishi Kaoru Tonosaki Satoru Okamoto Akito Kaga Ryota Kuroda Jun‐Ichi Matsuoka Atsushi Toyoda Taiji Kawakatsu Chiho Maruko Kazuki Takahashi Keiichi Okazaki Moeko Okada Eigo Fukai The Plant Journal SUMMARY DECREASED IN DNA METHYLATION 1 (DDM1) is a chromatin remodeling factor that plays a major role in maintaining heterochromatin silencing and DNA methylation in plants. The soybean ( Glycine max ) genome, known for its large amount of pericentric heterochromatin, contains two DDM1 orthologs: GmDDM1a and GmDDM1b . In order to understand their functional roles in seed development, a process in which DNA methylation plays a significant role, we conducted mutant analysis. Single mutant and sesquimutant plants were healthy and produced seeds normally, but double mutants did not survive after germination. Methylome analysis of immature seeds detected an extensive decrease in methylation of CG and CHG sites in mutants. In fact, levels of CHG hypomethylation were correlated to the number of mutant alleles; however, severe CG methylation loss was only seen in double mutants. RNA‐seq results showed that more than 3000 transposable elements (TEs) were activated transcriptionally in double mutants, which is consistent with the severe hypomethylation in their pericentromeric regions. Besides, we found 1388 protein‐coding genes commonly increased in expression in all mutant genotypes (“Shared‐up”), whereas 558 genes were only derepressed in double mutants (“Double‐up”). These “Double‐up” genes were largely found in heterochromatic regions, while “Shared‐up” genes were mainly spread over the euchromatic chromosomal arms in which hypomethylation of mutants was substantially less than that of heterochromatin. These results explain the pivotal role of GmDDM1 in maintaining heterochromatin silencing and suggest the existence of a distinct GmDDM1‐mediated euchromatin silencing mechanism during soybean seed development. 10.1111/tpj.70921 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor
title Differential regulation of heterochromatin and euchromatin by GmDDM1 during seed development ensures seedling viability in soybean
topic The Plant Journal
url https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/tpj.70921