Genome instability in the progeny of Arabidopsis plants exposed to stress

Mutations are the cornerstone of evolution. Fluctuations in environmental conditions have a significant effect on the microevolution of all species, including plants. Many reports show that environmental stresses are mutagenic – they cause mutations in somatic cells or in gametes in the exposed organism. The majority of such mutations are neutral, and some have significant negative effects. In addition to being mutagenic on somatic cells, stresses are known to increase genome instability in the progeny of exposed plants, although there are very few reports demonstrating it. Some mutations are positive for the survival of the species and the entire population in a changing environment. In this review, mostly focusing on the data from Arabidopsis thaliana, I discuss the effect of stress on the genome stability of the progeny, the consequences of such events, and possible mechanisms of their occurrence. I cover the role of epigenetic factors in the appearance of genetic mutations. I also describe the types of mutations that occur, including spontaneous and non-spontaneous and transitions vs. transversions, and discuss how the ratios in these mutations change in response to stress and contemplate why. Finally, I discuss potential adaptive nature of such mutations.