Trees are natural epimutation accumulation systems“Given their extraordinary longevity, trees act as natural epimutation accumulation systems, and therefore offer unique insights into epigenetic processes over long time-scales,” says Professor Johannes. In their studies, the team focused on a 330 year-old poplar tree. By comparing DNA methylation (an important epigenetic mark) of leaves from different branches of the tree, they were able to show that epimutations accumulate continuously as a function of the tree’s age. The researchers found that the further apart two leaves are from each other, in terms of developmental time, the more dissimilar their DNA methylation patterns are. From this, the researchers were able to conclude that the rate of somatic epimutations is about 10,000 times higher than the genetic mutation rate in this same tree.
