PubMed · 2026-05-11
Plants carry tiny rings of DNA floating outside their chromosomes, and these rings help plants adapt to stress like drought and heat by rapidly changing which genes are active. This review maps what we know about how these rings form, what they contain, and why they matter for plant survival.
Extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA) is widespread across plant genomes and enriched in transposable elements, protein-coding genes, and repetitive sequences.
eccDNAs accumulate dynamically during abiotic stress events (such as drought and temperature extremes), suggesting a functional role in stress tolerance and gene regulation.
Leading models tie eccDNA origin to DNA damage repair and recombination pathways, mechanisms conserved across both plant and non-plant organisms.