Accelerated growth increases the somatic epimutation rate in trees

Ming Zhou, Gerhard Schmied, Binh Thanh Vo, Monika Bradatsch, Giulia Resente, Rashmi Hazarika, Ioanna Kakoulidou, Maria-Cecília Costa, Michele Serra, Richard L. Peters, Enno Uhl, Robert J. Schmitz, Torben Hilmers, Astor Toraño Caicoya, Alan Crivellaro, Hans Pretzsch () and Frank Johannes ()
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Ming Zhou: Technical University of Munich
Gerhard Schmied: Technical University of Munich
Binh Thanh Vo: Technical University of Munich
Monika Bradatsch: Technical University of Munich
Giulia Resente: University of Torino
Rashmi Hazarika: Technical University of Munich
Ioanna Kakoulidou: Technical University of Munich
Maria-Cecília Costa: Technical University of Munich
Michele Serra: Technical University of Munich
Richard L. Peters: Technical University of Munich
Enno Uhl: Agriculture and Forestry
Robert J. Schmitz: University of Georgia
Torben Hilmers: Technical University of Munich
Astor Toraño Caicoya: Technical University of Munich
Alan Crivellaro: University of Torino
Hans Pretzsch: Technical University of Munich
Frank Johannes: Technical University of Munich

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Trees are integral to ecosystems and hold considerable economic importance. Their exceptional longevity and modular structure also make them valuable models for studying the long-term accumulation of somatic mutations and epimutations in plants. Empirical evidence indicates that the annual rate of these stochastic events correlates negatively with generation time, suggesting that species with long lifespans have evolved mechanisms to mitigate the build-up of deleterious somatic variants. It has been hypothesized that this reduction is achieved by slowing growth and minimizing the number of cell divisions per unit time, thereby reducing errors associated with DNA replication. However, a direct test of this “mitotic-rate hypothesis” remains technically challenging. Here we take advantage of a 150 year-old experiment in European beech to show that a thinning-induced growth acceleration increases the annual rate of somatic epimutations in main stems and lateral branches of trees. We demonstrate that this effect is accompanied by a proportional increase in the rate of cell divisions per unit time. These findings support the notion that life-history constraints on growth rates in trees are not merely a trade-off between resource allocation and structural stability but also a strategy to preserve genetic and epigenetic fidelity over extended lifespans.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-65404-9

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