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Plant Epigenetics: Advancing Adaptation Strategies for Climate Change
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Plant Epigenetics: Advancing Adaptation Strategies for Climate Change

A topical collection in Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This collection belongs to the section "Plant Science".

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Editors

Prof. Dr. Qingzhu Zhang

E-Mail Website
Collection Editor
School of Ecology, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
Interests: epigenetic responses of forests to climate change
Dr. Shahid Ali

E-Mail Website
Collection Editor
College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
Interests: epigenetic plasticity; transcriptional reprogramming; gene environment interactions
Dr. Bowei Chen

E-Mail Website
Collection Editor
College of Biology Resources and Environmental Sciences, Jishou University, Jishou 416000, China
Interests: ecological epigenetics

Topical Collection Information

Dear Colleagues,

The rapidly changing climate poses unprecedented challenges to plant ecosystems, marked by shifting temperature regimes, fluctuating water availability, more frequent extreme phenology events, and rising atmospheric CO2 levels. These environmental stressors not only hinder plant growth and productivity but also threaten biodiversity and the stability of ecosystems worldwide. As traditional domestication and genetic modification techniques often fall short in addressing the rapid pace of climate change, the field of plant epigenetics offers a promising alternative.

Epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modification and non-coding RNA (ncRNA) allow plants to modulate gene expression without altering their genetic code. This ability to make rapid and reversible changes in traits provides a unique pathway for enhancing resilience and adaptability. Understanding and leveraging these epigenetic responses hold significant potential for developing climate-resilient plants, preserving biodiversity of forest ecosystems, and promoting sustainable agricultural systems. As such, plant epigenetics stands at the forefront of innovative strategies aimed at mitigating the impacts of climate change on global plant life.

We invite researchers working in the dynamic field of plant epigenetics to submit their contributions to this Topical Collection. We seek to highlight innovative findings, methodologies, and insights into the future directions of plant epigenetics research, particularly in the context of global climate change.

This Topical Collection aims to enhance our understanding of how epigenetic mechanisms can support plant resilience and adaptation to changing environmental conditions. We look forward to your valuable contributions.

In this Topical Collection, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following:

  1. Mechanistic Insights into Epigenetic Regulation.
  2. Epigenetic Memory and Transgenerational Inheritance.
  3. Advances in Epigenetic Tools and Techniques.
  4. Epigenomics and Phenotypic Plasticity.
  5. Implications for Agriculture and Conservation.
  6. Tree Epigenetic responses to climate change.

We look forward to your valuable contributions.

Prof. Dr. Qingzhu Zhang
Dr. Shahid Ali
Dr. Bowei Chen
Collection Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the collection website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biology is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • mechanistic insights into epigenetic regulation
  • epigenetic memory and transgenerational inheritance
  • advances in epigenetic tools and techniques
  • epigenomics and phenotypic plasticity
  • implications for agriculture and conservation
  • tree epigenetic responses to climate change

Published Papers (2 papers)

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2025

12 pages, 3800 KB  
Article
Histone Deacetylase BpHST1 Regulates Plant Architecture and Photosynthesis in Birch
by Lili Hou, Baoxin Li, Mengyan Ge and Zhimin Zheng
Biology 2025, 14(12), 1689; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14121689 - 27 Nov 2025
Abstract
(1) Background: Epigenetic mechanisms play a significant role in plant architecture. Histone deacetylases, as crucial epigenetic regulators, shape plant architecture by modifying chromatin structure and regulating gene expression. (2) Methods: This study combined bioinformatic identification of BpHST1 with its functional characterization in transgenic [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Epigenetic mechanisms play a significant role in plant architecture. Histone deacetylases, as crucial epigenetic regulators, shape plant architecture by modifying chromatin structure and regulating gene expression. (2) Methods: This study combined bioinformatic identification of BpHST1 with its functional characterization in transgenic birch overexpressing 35S::BpHST1::FLAG, including phenotypic and cytological analyses. The putative direct targets of BpHST1 were further identified by integrating RNA-seq and ChIP-seq data. (3) Results: Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the HST1 orthologs from birch and peach form a distinct clade, consistent with their high degree of protein sequence conservation. BpHST1 exhibited light-inducible and leaf-preferential expression, with transcript levels elevated under light versus dark conditions, enriched in leaves relative to roots, and promoter activity confirming this spatial patterning. Overexpression of BpHST1 significantly suppressed plant height, cell length, cell width, and photosynthetic capacity. Integrated RNA-seq and ChIP-seq analysis suggested that BpLHCA2 possible functions as a direct downstream target of BpHST1, mediating plant growth and development. (4) Conclusions: Our findings delineated the role of BpHST1 in regulating plant architecture through comprehensive expression and functional analyses, and identified a candidate target gene. This study provided a novel insight into the molecular mechanisms governing plant architecture and offers potential strategies for future epigenetic breeding. Full article
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25 pages, 1084 KB  
Review
Epigenetics in Plant Response to Climate Change
by Wei Zhou, Min Wang, Lishan Wang, Yinghui Liu, Zaimin Tian, Linan Xie and Yu Wang
Biology 2025, 14(6), 631; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14060631 - 29 May 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2052
Abstract
Since the last glacial maximum, the Earth has experienced drastic climate changes. However, with the advent of the Industrial Revolution, human activities have abruptly intensified, altering the planet’s climate patterns. Climate models predict that over the next hundred years, the globe will experience [...] Read more.
Since the last glacial maximum, the Earth has experienced drastic climate changes. However, with the advent of the Industrial Revolution, human activities have abruptly intensified, altering the planet’s climate patterns. Climate models predict that over the next hundred years, the globe will experience even more drastic changes than those observed in the past 20,000 years. Understanding how plants adapt to environmental changes has thus become a critical research priority. Currently, evidence suggests that plants adapt to environmental changes primarily through two distinct pathways: one mediated by genetic variation and the other involving the direct or indirect participation of epigenetic modifications. Given the unprecedented rate of contemporary climate change, epigenetic mechanisms may exert a more immediate and flexible influence than genetic modifications. Epigenetics, including DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNA, plays an important role in the post-transcriptional regulation process and affects the growth and development of plants, as well as their responses to environmental changes. In this review, we synthesize current knowledge on the epigenetic mechanisms underlying plant responses to environmental changes and examine the dynamic interplay between epigenetic regulation and environmental stimuli, aiming to provide insights into enhancing the tolerance of plants to environmental stress factors. Full article
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Figure 1

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