Non-CG DNA methylation represses SDC expression to modulate hypocotyl elongation during thermormorphogenesis.

Plants adapt to warm environments through physiological and morphological changes termed thermomorphogenesis, which involve transcriptional reprogramming exerted mainly by PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 4 (PIF4). Fluctuating temperatures can also influence the patterns of cytosine DNA methylation, thereby influencing gene expression. However, whether these epigenetic changes provide an adaptative advantage remains unclear.