REVIEW: Epigenetic Phenomenon of Paramutation in Plants and Animals

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Dina A. Kulikova^1,2, Alina V. Bespalova¹, Elena S. Zelentsova¹, Mikhail B. Evgen’ev¹, Sergei Yu. Funikov^1,a*

¹Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia

²Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119334 Moscow, Russia

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received: March 28, 2024; Revised: June 17, 2024; Accepted: June 27, 2024

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The phenomenon of paramutation describes the interaction between two alleles, in which one allele initiates inherited epigenetic conversion of another allele without affecting the DNA sequence. Epigenetic transformations due to paramutation are accompanied by the change in DNA and/or histone methylation patterns, affecting gene expression. Studies of paramutation in plants and animals have identified small non-coding RNAs as the main effector molecules required for the initiation of epigenetic changes in gene loci. Due to the fact that small non-coding RNAs can be transmitted across generations, the paramutation effect can be inherited and maintained in a population. In this review, we will systematically analyze examples of paramutation in different living systems described so far, highlighting common and different molecular and genetic aspects of paramutation between organisms, and considering the role of this phenomenon in evolution.

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KEY WORDS: epigenetics, non-Mendelian inheritance, small non-coding RNAs, chromatin, gene expression

DOI: 10.1134/S0006297924080054

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