Expression profiling of DNA methyltransferase genes in wheat genotypes with contrasting drought tolerance (original) (raw)

Vassileva, V., Vaseva, I. & Dimitrova, A. (2019). Expression profi ling of DNA methyltransferase genes in wheat genotypes with contrasting drought tolerance. Bulgarian Journal of Agricultural Science, 25(5), 845–851 DNA methylation is a reversible epigenetic mechanism that affects important developmental processes and stress-related events in living organisms. The process of cytosine methylation is catalysed by DNA methyltransferases that are structurally and functionally conserved in all eukaryotes. This study assessed the effect of drought stress and subsequent rewatering on the transcription of DNA methyltransferase coding genes (TaMET1, TaMET2a, TaMET2b and TaMET3) in wheat genotypes with contrasting drought tolerance. The applied drought stress led to changes in leaf water defi cit in a variety-specifi c manner. Two of the wheat genotypes, Farmer and Bojana, performed as sensitive to drought, the other two, Yoana and Guinness, were considered as drought tolerant. Under drought ...