PNAS
Rate, spectrum, and evolutionary dynamics of spontaneous epimutations [Genetics]
A. van der Graaf, R. Wardenaar, D. A. Neumann, A. Taudt, R. G. Shaw, R. C. Jansen, R. J. Schmitz, M. Colome–Tatche, F. Johannes.
Stochastic changes in cytosine methylation are a source of heritable epigenetic and phenotypic diversity in plants. Using the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, we derive robust estimates of the rate at which methylation is spontaneously gained (forward epimutation) or lost (backward epimutation) at individual cytosines and construct a comprehensive picture of...