Elaeis guineensis
Jacq.) currently hampers the scaling-up of clonal plant production. In order to investigate the relationship between the “mantled” somaclonal variant and possible alterations in genomic DNA methylation rate, two complementary approaches have been used. HPLC quantification of relative amounts of 5-methyl-deoxycytidine has shown that global methylation in leaf DNA of abnormal regenerants is 0.5–2.5% lower than in their normal counterparts (20.8% vs 22%, respectively). When comparing nodular compact calli and fast growing calli, yielding respectively 5% and 100% of “mantled” plantlets, this decrease was up to 4.5% (from 23.2 to 18.7%). An alternative method, the SssI-methylase accepting assay, based on the enzymatic saturation of CG sites with methyl groups, gave convergent results. This work demonstrates that a correlation exists between DNA hypomethylation and the “mantled” somaclonal variation in oil palm.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received: 9 July 1999 / Revision received: 15 October 1999 / Accepted: 26 October
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jaligot, E., Rival, A., Beulé, T. et al. Somaclonal variation in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.): the DNA methylation hypothesis. Plant Cell Reports 19, 684–690 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002999900177
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002999900177