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Histones are far more than just the basic units of chromatin. Posttranslational modifications of histone tails have emerged as important regulatory mechanisms for diverse biological processes, including genome organization, gene expression, transposable element suppression, development, and environmental responses. This field is expanding rapidly with the development of new technologies and growing interest from both the basic and translational research communities. The past two decades have witnessed tremendous progress in our understanding of the complex, multilayered regulation and actions of histone modifications in plants. This review summarizes the characteristics, localization, and molecular functions of histone modifications with an emphasis on the well-studied marks inArabidopsis. We further discuss their functions in developmental transitions and environmental responses as well as their contributions to epigenomic diversity and plasticity. By highlighting the functions and fundamental mechanisms of epigenetic modifications in model plants, this review underscores the potential to harness epigenetic regulation for agricultural improvement.
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This content will become publicly available on March 17, 2026
Visualizing Epigenetics: A Review of Microscopy Techniques for Investigating DNA Methylation Patterns, Chromatin Structure, and Gene Expression
Abstract Microscopy approaches are frequently used to decipher the localization and quantify the abundance of biologically relevant molecular targets within single cells. Recent research has applied many optical imaging techniques to specifically visualize epigenetic modifications, the mechanisms by which organisms control gene expression in response to environmental factors. While many molecular and omics-based approaches are used to understand epigenetic mechanisms, imaging approaches provide spatial information that supplies greater context for discerning function. Thus, labeling approaches have been developed to quantify and visualize epigenetic targets using various fluorescence microscopy, electron microscopy, and super-resolution microscopy techniques. Here, we synthesize information about microscopy methods that enable visualization of epigenetic marks including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and localization of RNAs, which provide insights into mechanisms involved in chromatin remodeling and gene expression. The ability to determine how and where specific epigenetic marks manifest structurally and functionally in cells demonstrates the power of microscopy in aiding our understanding of epigenetic processes.
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- PAR ID:
- 10589721
- Publisher / Repository:
- Oxford University Press
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Microscopy and Microanalysis
- Volume:
- 31
- Issue:
- 2
- ISSN:
- 1431-9276
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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