Epigenetic modifications of nuclei differ between root meristematic tissues of Hordeum vulgare.

Recent studies on the role of epigenetic modifications during plant development emphasize the fact that both positional information and tissue specificity are essential factors that establish epigenetic marks and thus determine cell fate and differentiation processes. The root apical meristem (RAM), which contains stem cells and generates radial patterns of tissues, is an ideal model for studying the correlation between cell position and cell-type differentiation, with particular emphasis on the patterns, global levels, and landscapes of epigenetic modifications. To date, there has been no clear evidence for differential levels of histone and DNA modification across root meristematic tissues. Our study clearly indicates that levels of modifications with potential epigenetic effects vary between RAM tissues. Of particular interest is that histone H4 acetylation in the epidermis is not simply replication-dependent and probably plays a role in epidermal cell differentiation.