AUTHOR=Lancíková Veronika , Kačírová Jana , Hricová Andrea 

TITLE=Identification and gene expression analysis of cytosine-5 DNA methyltransferase and demethylase genes in Amaranthus cruentus L. under heavy metal stress

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.1092067

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2022.1092067

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p>Amaranth has become increasingly popular due to its highly nutritious grains and ability to tolerate environmental stress. The mechanism underlying defense and adaptation to environmental stress is a complicated process involving DNA methylation and demethylation. These epigenetic features have been well documented to play an important role in plant stress response, including heavy metal-induced stress. This study was aimed at the identification and analysis of cytosine-5 DNA methyltransferase (<italic>C5-MTase</italic>) and demethylase (<italic>DMTase</italic>) genes in <italic>Amaranthus cruentus</italic>. Eight <italic>C5-MTase</italic> and two <italic>DMTase</italic> genes were identified and described in response to individual heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Zn, Mn) and their combination (Cd/Pb, Cd/Zn, Pb/Zn) in root and leaf tissues. Studied heavy metals, individually and in combinations, differentially regulated <italic>C5-MTase</italic> and <italic>DMTase</italic> gene expression. Interestingly, most of the genes were transcriptionally altered under Zn exposure. Our results suggest that identified amaranth <italic>MTase</italic> and <italic>DMTase</italic> genes are involved in heavy metal stress responses through regulating DNA methylation and demethylation level in amaranth plants.</p>