PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Chad E. Niederhuth
AU  - Adam J. Bewick
AU  - Lexiang Ji
AU  - Magdy S. Alabady
AU  - Kyung Do Kim
AU  - Qing Li
AU  - Nicholas A. Rohr
AU  - Aditi Rambani
AU  - John M. Burke
AU  - Josh A. Udall
AU  - Chiedozie Egesi
AU  - Jeremy Schmutz
AU  - Jane Grimwood
AU  - Scott A. Jackson
AU  - Nathan M. Springer
AU  - Robert J. Schmitz
TI  - Widespread natural variation of DNA methylation within angiosperms
AID  - 10.1101/045880
DP  - 2016 Jan 01
TA  - bioRxiv
PG  - 045880
4099  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2016/05/28/045880.short
4100  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2016/05/28/045880.full
AB  - To understand the variation in genomic patterning of DNA methylation we compared methylomes of 34 diverse angiosperm species. By analyzing whole-genome bisulfite sequencing data in a phylogenetic context it becomes clear that there is extensive variation throughout angiosperms in gene body DNA methylation, euchromatic silencing of transposons and repeats, as well as silencing of heterochromatic transposons. The Brassicaceae have reduced CHG methylation levels and also reduced or loss of CG gene body methylation. The Poaceae are characterized by a lack or reduction of heterochromatic CHH methylation and enrichment of CHH methylation in genic regions. Reduced CHH methylation levels are found in clonally propagated species, suggesting that these methods of propagation may alter the epigenomic landscape over time. These results show that DNA methylation patterns are broadly a reflection of the evolutionary and life histories of plant species.