表观遗传与作物抗性精准育种

Epigenetics and precise crop breeding for resistance

摘要:

表观遗传是在不改变DNA序列的前提下，通过DNA甲基化、组蛋白修饰、非编码RNA、染色质重塑及RNA修饰等分子机制，动态调控基因表达的可遗传现象。在植物中，表观遗传广泛参与开花时间、配子发生、逆境响应及免疫防御等关键生物学过程。在过去的几十年，表观遗传修饰的研究已经由拟南芥为主要研究对象的基础理论研究逐渐转向水稻、番茄等不同作物，揭示了表观遗传调控在农艺性状塑造中的多维作用。本文总结了表观遗传调控机制及其在植物生物和非生物胁迫响应中的功能。CRISPR-dCas9等表观编辑工具可实现靶向甲基化/乙酰化修饰，磁性纳米颗粒、病毒递送等新型转化技术突破植物再生瓶颈为精准表观修饰编辑提供了可能性。在未来农业中需深入解析单细胞多层次的表观调控机制，开发高效递送系统，在人工智能辅助下推动表观遗传育种在农业可持续发展中的应用。

Abstract:

Epigenetics refers to a heritable phenomenon that dynamically modulates gene expression without altering the DNA sequence, through molecular mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modification, non-coding RNA, chromatin remodeling, and RNA modifications. In plants, these modifications are extensively involved in key biological processes, including flowering time, gametogenesis, stress responses, and immune defenses. Over the past few decades, the research on epigenetics has gradually shifted from fundamental studies primarily conducted in Arabidopsis thaliana to investigations in various crop species such as rice and tomato. This transition has revealed the multifaceted roles of epigenetic regulation in shaping agronomic traits. This review integrates current knowledge of epigenetic regulatory mechanisms and their functions in plant responses to both biotic and abiotic stresses. Epigenetic editing tools such as CRISPR-dCas9 enable targeted DNA methylation or histone acetylation. Emerging transformation technologies, including magnetic nanoparticles and virus-based delivery systems, have the potential to overcome the bottlenecks of plant regeneration, offering new possibilities for precise epigenetic editing. In future agriculture, it is essential to further elucidate multi-layered epigenetic regulatory mechanisms at the single-cell level, develop efficient delivery systems, and leverage artificial intelligence to advance the application of epigenetic breeding for sustainable agricultural development.