Nov 24, 2025

Epigenetic Regulation in Marchantia and Barley

Date: November 24, 2025 | 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Speaker: Yoko Ikeda
Location: Moonstone Bldg / Ground floor / Seminar Room C
Language: English

Among epigenetic regulatory mechanisms, both DNA methylation and histone modifications are known to be inherited through cell division. However, in plants, (CG) DNA methylation is generally maintained more stably across generations, whereas histone modifications are often reset during gametogenesis and early embryogenesis. I am interested in the regulatory machinery underlying these two epigenetic layers and have been investigating their dynamics using Arabidopsis, Marchantia, and barley. In this presentation, I will introduce our recent work on the control of 5-methylcytosine during different life stages of Marchantia, in which we are analyzing mutants of DNA methyltransferase and DNA demethylase to dissect the regulatory mechanisms involved. In addition, we have uncovered a novel histone-modification mediated pathway involving barley EMF1 that regulates awn elongation, and we are currently exploring its detailed molecular mechanisms. These findings provide new insights into how distinct epigenetic systems operate and have developed in plants.