Epigenomic and transcriptomic dynamics of Arabidopsis senescent leaves

Senescence occurs in a programmed manner to dismantle the vegetative tissues and redirect the nutrients towards metabolic pathways supporting reproductive success. External factors can trigger the senescence program as an adaptive strategy, indicating that this terminal program is controlled at different levels. Using bisulphite conversion followed by sequencing, we interrogated changes in the methylome of senescent Arabidopsis leaves induced by darkness, and their impact on gene and transposable element (TE) expression with transcriptome sequencing. Two biological replicates were sequenced for each condition: S as senescent and NS as non senescent. The leaves No. 5-6th from 42 days old plants was individually covered with a black mitten for 5 days to induce senescence by darkness. Tissue was collected on the 48th day. Non-senescent tissue corresponds to a mix of uncovered leaves from the same plants. Bisulphite and RNA sequencing was perform in two biological replicates. Differentially methylated regions induced by senescence were called in the merged mapping files of the biological replicates.