Effects of Selenium on DNA Methylation and Genomic Instability Induced by Drought Stress in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

The main purpose of the study was to clarify the effect of selenium (Se) on DNA damage and DNA methylation in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants exposed to polyethylene glycol (PEG)-induced drought stress under in vitro tissue culture. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and coupled restriction enzyme digestion-random amplification (CRED-RA) were utilized to explain the DNA damage grade and variations in DNA methylation patterns, respectively. The outcomes indicate that drought stress gives rise to a rise in RAPD profile variations (as DNA damage) and a decrease in genomic template stability (GTS) rate and DNA methylation changes. According to the RAPD data, the greatest GTS value was computed at 56.9% (5% PEG 6000), and the lowest GTS value was 41.2% (15% PEG 6000), demonstrating the adverse effects of PEG 6000. However, DNA damage can be reduced by treatment with sodium selenate (2, 4, and 6 µM of Na2SeO4) together with PEG (5%, 10%, and 15% PEG 6000)-induced water deficits. Moreover, according to CRED-RA analysis, PEG-induced DNA methylation rates were changed after treating different doses of Se. These data demonstrate that Se dose-dependently modulates both DNA damage and methylation alterations induced by drought in wheat.