Vernalization-induced changes of the DNA methylation pattern in winter wheat.

Vernalization is a cold treatment that induces or accelerates flowering and insures that temperate-zone plants will not flower until after winter. There is evidence that vernalization results in DNA demethylation that induces flowering. Differences in DNA methylation can be determined using methylation-sensitive amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs). Methylation-sensitive AFLPs utilize restriction enzyme isoschizomers that are differentially sensitive to methylation, producing polymorphisms related to methylation differences as opposed to sequence differences. Near-isogenic lines (NILs) have been developed for spring vs. winter habit in wheat (Triticum aestivum) and allow for the study of a single vernalization locus. In this study, differences in the methylation pattern were determined for spring and winter NILs, as well as for unvernalized and vernalized individuals. Winter wheat was more highly methylated than spring wheat and methylation-related AFLPs were produced between winter and spring wheat. Changes in the methylation pattern were observed at the end of vernalization, one week after the end of vernalization, and four weeks after the end of vernalization of winter wheat. However, the most methylation differences were observed one week after removal of winter wheat from cold treatment. Our data suggest that there is not only a vernalization-induced demethylation related to flower induction, but there is also a more general and non-specific demethylation of sequences unrelated to flowering. Two methylation-related AFLPs induced by vernalization were shared among all of the winter NILs.