Accessing epigenetic variation in the plant methylome

Cytosine DNA methylation is the addition of a methyl group to the 5' position of a cytosine, which plays a crucial role in plant development and gene silencing. Genome-wide profiling of DNA methylation is now possible using various techniques and strategies. Using these technologies, we are beginning to elucidate the extent and impact of variation in DNA methylation between individuals and/or tissues. Here, we review the different techniques used to analyze the methylomes at the whole-genome level and their applications to better understand epigenetic variations in plants.