April 11, 2025
The world’s climate is changing at an unprecedented rate, posing significant challenges to our natural ecosystems and agricultural systems alike.
A critical question for scientists at this time is whether plants can adapt quickly enough to these rapid shifts in temperature. Understanding the mechanisms behind plant adaptation is the first step towards developing strategies to protect our forests, cultivated crops and native species for a sustainable future.
Exciting new research funded by Genome BC and conducted by Drs. Greg Henry and Loren Rieseberg at The University of British Columbia is shedding light on this crucial question. Their study, focusing on Dryas octopetalata, a small plant related to strawberries that is found in tundra environments, has uncovered a fascinating potential for rapid adaptation through changes in DNA regulation.
What Role Does Epigenetics Play?
The research team investigated whether plants could use epigenetic mechanisms – changes in gene activity influenced by environmental factors – to adjust to their surroundings. Unlike genetic mutations that alter the DNA sequence itself, epigenetics, such as DNA methylation (the addition of methyl groups to DNA), can change how genetic instructions are read by cells. This offers a potentially faster way for plants to respond to environmental pressures.
To explore this, the researchers compared plants from naturally occurring, controlled tundra locations with those from plots that had been artificially warmed. By sequencing and comparing the DNA of these plants, the team made a significant discovery: plants from the warmed plots exhibited different DNA methylation patterns compared to those from the control plots.
Specifically, they found increased methylation in regions near genes associated with resistance to stress. Furthermore, they identified 150 genes that were expressed differently between the two environments, with plants from the warmed plots showing reduced expression. This strongly suggests that external environmental conditions, like warmer temperatures, can indeed influence how a plant’s DNA is regulated and how its genes function.
Changes Pass to the Next Generation
Perhaps the most exciting finding was the potential for this adaptation to be passed down through generations. The researchers collected seeds from the original plant samples and grew them in controlled growth chambers. When they analyzed the DNA of these seedlings, they found that offspring showed similar methylation patterns to their mothers in specific regions of the genome.
This indicates that these environmentally induced changes in DNA regulation can be inherited for at least one generation, potentially leading to a more resilient offspring better equipped to handle warmer conditions.
This research offers hope in the face of climate change. It suggests that some plants may possess the ability to rapidly adapt to a changing climate using epigenetic mechanisms, and that these adaptations could be inherited by future generations.
This has significant implications, particularly when considering economically important crops. Understanding how to harness these natural adaptive capabilities could pave the way for developing climate-resistant varieties, ensuring food security in a warmer world.
The findings also highlight the potential for native species to exhibit a degree of resilience, contributing to the long-term sustainability of our natural ecosystems.
