The Role of Epigenetics in Shaping Plant-Mycorrhizal Interactions and Ecosystem Resilience

Aleksandra Boba¹Anna Domanska¹Anna Kulma¹Kamil Kostyn^2*

• ¹Uniwersytet Wroclawski, Wrocław, Poland
• ²Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland

The symbiotic relationship between plants and mycorrhizae determines how plants interact with their environment through enhanced nutrient acquisition and stress tolerance and better plant health. This review examines the epigenetic processes which control plant-mycorrhizal interactions by studying DNA methylation and histone modifications and small RNAs. The mechanisms control mycorrhizal association establishment and maintenance and efficiency through regulation of symbiosis-related gene expression and signaling pathways. The study presents both ecological importance and functional diversity of mycorrhiza as well as a summary of its primary types. This work combines traditional knowledge with modern epigenetic research to show how plants employ epigenetic control to adapt to changing environmental conditions and achieve better symbiotic results. Plants establish environmental connections through mycorrhizal symbiosis. These relationships enable them to obtain nutrients and cope with stress while simultaneously exchanging information through subterranean networks. A unified understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying mycorrhizal interactions that drive adaptation and survival has not yet been achieved, in part because research on them stems from diverse fields of research, such as mycorrhizal ecology and plant epigenetics. This review presents recent studies demonstrating that epigenetic control serves as a central system enabling plants to adapt and maintain stable relationships with mycorrhizal fungi. We begin by describing different types of Definicja stylu: Nagłówek 3: Czcionka: Pogrubienie Sformatowano: Interlinia: 1,5 wiersza mycorrhizae. We then analyze mycorrhizal symbiosis by integrating plant and fungal genomic data with molecular evidence on DNA methylation, histone modification, chromatin remodeling, and small RNA pathways. We demonstrate that mycorrhizal symbiosis depends on changing chromatin states, which influence the regulation of the establishment, maintenance, and efficiency of symbiotic connections. They also regulate the balance between nutrient uptake and defense. They may underlie mycorrhizal stress and transgenerational "memory." We review studies showing that RNA interference between different species enables reorganization of gene expression between plant and fungal cells. Finally, we identify key knowledge gaps and propose future research directions aimed at discovering reliable markers of mycorrhizal responses for epi-breeding and the development of climate-resilient agroecosystems.