Methyl-Sensitive Amplification Polymorphism (MSAP) Analysis Provides Insights into the DNA Methylation Underlying Heterosis in Kenaf (<i>Hibiscus Cannabinus</i> L.) Drought Tolerance
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Kenaf (<i>Hibiscus cannabinus</i> L.) is an industrial fiber crop with significant heterosis and tolerance to abiotic stresses. However, the mechanism underlying heterosis in kenaf under drought conditions is completely unknown. In this study, F<sub>1</sub> hybrids were remarkably tolerant to drought stress. Through methylation-sensitive amplification polymorphism (MSAP) analysis, we highlighted that total DNA methylation level under drought decreased by 11.2% in F<sub>1</sub> and increased by 29.7% and 13.1% in parents CP079 and CP071, respectively. Unlike parents, the hypomethylation rate was 38% higher than hypermethylation in F<sub>1</sub>, the overall change in methylation pattern was higher in F<sub>1</sub> (1.6%) than parents (0.4%). Furthermore, 35 key DNA fragments showing different methylation patterns were analyzed and found that the cytosine methylation status of <i>DnaJ, ERF5, ZIP2</i>, and <i>PATL3</i> revealed changes in DNA methylation that may affect their respective expression level. Subsequently, virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) mediated knockdown of the <i>DnaJ</i>, significantly increased the sensitivity of kenaf seedlings to drought. Overall, this study provides an epigenetic mechanism that could be used to improve the breeding strategy in kenaf.
