Salk epigenetic findings may aid in crop production
Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have
identified patterns of epigenomic diversity that not only allow plants to adapt
to various environments, but could also benefit crop production and the study
of human diseases.
Published March 6 in Nature, the findings show that in
addition to genetic diversity found in plants throughout the world, their
epigenomic makeup is as varied as the environments in which they are found.
Epigenomics is the study of the pattern of chemical markers that serve as a
regulatory layer on top of the DNA sequence. Depending on where they grow, the
plants' epigenomic differences may allow them to rapidly adapt to their
environments.