Divergent cytosine DNA methylation patterns in single-cell, soybean root hairs (MethylC-seq). Glycine max

Chromatin modifications, such as cytosine methylation of DNA, play a significant role in mediating gene expression in plants, which affects growth, development, and cell differentiation. Since root hairs are single cell extensions of the root epidermis and the primary organs for water uptake and nutrients, we sought to use root hairs as a single cell model system to measure the impact of environmental stress. We measured changes in cytosine DNA methylation in single cell root hairs as compared to multi-cellular stripped roots, as well as in response to heat stress. Differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in each methylation context showed very distinct methylation patterns between cell types and in response to heat stress. Intriguingly, at normal temperature, root hairs were more hypermethylated as compared to stripped roots. However, in response to heat stress, both root hairs and stripped roots showed more hypomethylation in each context, especially in the mCHH context. Moreover, expression analysis of mRNA from similar tissues and treatments identified some associations between DMRs, genes and transposons. Taken together, the data indicate that changes of dynamic DNA methylation directly or indirectly is associated with expression of genes and transposons either within the context of specific tissues/cells or stress (heat). Overall design: MethylC-seq from soybean root hair cells and stripped root cells under normal and heat stress condition