Alteration in DNA methylation patterns in the heavy metal-stressed plant seedlings (S0 generation) relative to the mock control (Mock) of rice ssp. <i>japonica</i>, cv. Matsumae.

Abstract

<p>Gel-blotting patterns were generated by hybridizing the selected probes to DNA samples digested with a pair of methylation-sensitive isoschizomers, <i>Hpa</i>II and <i>Msp</i>I. Patterns of three of the 18 studied sequences (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0041143#s4" target="_blank">Materials and methods</a>) are shown. Evidently, all alterations represent exclusive CHG hypomethylation (occurred only in <i>Msp</i>I digest). <b>A</b>, <i>Tos17</i>, which showed CHG hypomethylation in four of the eight treatments; <b>B</b>, <i>Hombox gene</i>, which showed CHG hypomethylation in five of the eight treatments; <b>C</b>, <i>CAL-11</i>, which showed CHG hypomethylation in six of the 8 treatments; <b>D</b>, <i>Hombox gene</i>, which showed complete stability in the methylation patterns in all 18 randomly chosen mock control plants (Mock S0). Arrowheads denote methylation alterations as a significant reduction in band signal intensity or complete band loss relative to the mock control.</p