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Shi M, Wang C, Wang P, Yun F, Liu Z, Ye F, Wei L, Liao W. Role of methylation in vernalization and photoperiod pathway: a potential flowering regulator? HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2023; 10:uhad174. [PMID: 37841501 PMCID: PMC10569243 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhad174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Recognized as a pivotal developmental transition, flowering marks the continuation of a plant's life cycle. Vernalization and photoperiod are two major flowering pathways orchestrating numerous florigenic signals. Methylation, including histone, DNA and RNA methylation, is one of the recent foci in plant development. Considerable studies reveal that methylation seems to show an increasing potential regulatory role in plant flowering via altering relevant gene expression without altering the genetic basis. However, little has been reviewed about whether and how methylation acts on vernalization- and photoperiod-induced flowering before and after FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) reactivation, what role RNA methylation plays in vernalization- and photoperiod-induced flowering, how methylation participates simultaneously in both vernalization- and photoperiod-induced flowering, the heritability of methylation memory under the vernalization/photoperiod pathway, and whether and how methylation replaces vernalization/photoinduction to regulate flowering. Our review provides insight about the crosstalk among the genetic control of the flowering gene network, methylation (methyltransferases/demethylases) and external signals (cold, light, sRNA and phytohormones) in vernalization and photoperiod pathways. The existing evidence that RNA methylation may play a potential regulatory role in vernalization- and photoperiod-induced flowering has been gathered and represented for the first time. This review speculates about and discusses the possibility of substituting methylation for vernalization and photoinduction to promote flowering. Current evidence is utilized to discuss the possibility of future methylation reagents becoming flowering regulators at the molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meimei Shi
- College of Horticulture, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Chunlei Wang
- College of Horticulture, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Peng Wang
- Vegetable and Flower Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Fahong Yun
- College of Horticulture, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Zhiya Liu
- College of Horticulture, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Fujin Ye
- College of Horticulture, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Lijuan Wei
- College of Horticulture, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Weibiao Liao
- College of Horticulture, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
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Bardani E, Kallemi P, Tselika M, Katsarou K, Kalantidis K. Spotlight on Plant Bromodomain Proteins. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1076. [PMID: 37626962 PMCID: PMC10451976 DOI: 10.3390/biology12081076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
Bromodomain-containing proteins (BRD-proteins) are the "readers" of histone lysine acetylation, translating chromatin state into gene expression. They act alone or as components of larger complexes and exhibit diverse functions to regulate gene expression; they participate in chromatin remodeling complexes, mediate histone modifications, serve as scaffolds to recruit transcriptional regulators or act themselves as transcriptional co-activators or repressors. Human BRD-proteins have been extensively studied and have gained interest as potential drug targets for various diseases, whereas in plants, this group of proteins is still not well investigated. In this review, we aimed to concentrate scientific knowledge on these chromatin "readers" with a focus on Arabidopsis. We organized plant BRD-proteins into groups based on their functions and domain architecture and summarized the published work regarding their interactions, activity and diverse functions. Overall, it seems that plant BRD-proteins are indispensable components and fine-tuners of the complex network plants have built to regulate development, flowering, hormone signaling and response to various biotic or abiotic stresses. This work will facilitate the understanding of their roles in plants and highlight BRD-proteins with yet undiscovered functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eirini Bardani
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Voutes University Campus, 71500 Heraklion, Greece; (E.B.); (P.K.); (M.T.)
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, 70013 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Paraskevi Kallemi
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Voutes University Campus, 71500 Heraklion, Greece; (E.B.); (P.K.); (M.T.)
| | - Martha Tselika
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Voutes University Campus, 71500 Heraklion, Greece; (E.B.); (P.K.); (M.T.)
| | - Konstantina Katsarou
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Voutes University Campus, 71500 Heraklion, Greece; (E.B.); (P.K.); (M.T.)
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, 70013 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Kriton Kalantidis
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Voutes University Campus, 71500 Heraklion, Greece; (E.B.); (P.K.); (M.T.)
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, 70013 Heraklion, Greece
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3
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Wang Y, Jiang Z, Qin A, Wang F, Chang E, Liu Y, Nie W, Tan C, Yuan Y, Dong Y, Huang R, Jia Z, Wang J. Population Structure, Genetic Diversity and Candidate Genes for the Adaptation to Environmental Stress in Picea koraiensis. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:1266. [PMID: 36986954 PMCID: PMC10055018 DOI: 10.3390/plants12061266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Picea koraiensis is major silvicultural and timber species in northeast China, and its distribution area is an important transition zone for genus spruce migration. The degree of intraspecific differentiation of P. koraiensis is high, but population structure and differentiation mechanisms are not clear. In this study, 523,761 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified in 113 individuals from 9 populations of P. koraiensis by genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS). Population genomic analysis showed that P. koraiensis was divided into three geoclimatic regions: Great Khingan Mountains climatic region, Lesser Khingan Mountains climatic region, and Changbai Mountain climatic region. Mengkeshan (MKS) population on the northern edge of the distribution area and Wuyiling (WYL) population located in the mining area are two highly differentiated groups. Selective sweep analysis showed that MKS and WYL populations had 645 and 1126 selected genes, respectively. Genes selected in the MKS population were associated with flowering and photomorphogenesis, cellular response to water deficit, and glycerophospholipid metabolism; genes selected in the WYL population were associated with metal ion transport, biosynthesis of macromolecules, and DNA repair. Climatic factors and heavy metal stress drives divergence in MKS and WYL populations, respectively. Our findings provide insights into adaptive divergence mechanisms in Picea and will contribute to molecular breeding studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Zeping Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Aili Qin
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Fude Wang
- Forestry Research Institute in Heilongjiang Province, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Ermei Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Yifu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Wen Nie
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Cancan Tan
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Yanchao Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Yao Dong
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Ruizhi Huang
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Zirui Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Junhui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
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Long J, Carter B, Johnson ET, Ogas J. Contribution of the histone variant H2A.Z to expression of responsive genes in plants. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2023; 135:85-92. [PMID: 35474148 PMCID: PMC9588091 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The histone variant H2A.Z plays a critical role in chromatin-based processes such as transcription, replication, and repair in eukaryotes. Although many H2A.Z-associated processes and features are conserved in plants and animals, a distinguishing feature of plant chromatin is the enrichment of H2A.Z in the bodies of genes that exhibit dynamic expression, particularly in response to differentiation and the environment. Recent work sheds new light on the plant machinery that enables dynamic changes in H2A.Z enrichment and identifies additional chromatin-based pathways that contribute to transcriptional properties of H2A.Z-enriched chromatin. In particular, analysis of a variety of responsive loci reveals a repressive role for H2A.Z in expression of responsive genes and identifies roles for SWR1 and INO80 chromatin remodelers in enabling dynamic regulation of H2A.Z levels and transcription. These studies lay the groundwork for understanding how this ancient histone variant is harnessed by plants to enable responsive and dynamic gene expression (Graphical Abstract).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Long
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47906, USA
| | - Benjamin Carter
- Laboratory of Epigenome Biology, Systems Biology Center, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Emily T Johnson
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47906, USA
| | - Joe Ogas
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47906, USA.
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Shi M, Wang C, Wang P, Zhang M, Liao W. Methylation in DNA, histone, and RNA during flowering under stress condition: A review. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 324:111431. [PMID: 36028071 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2022.111431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Flowering is the most critical transition period in the whole lifecycle of plants, and it is a highly sensitive period to stress. New combinations of temperature, drought stress, carbon dioxide and other abiotic/biotic conditions resulting from contemporary climate change affect the flowering process. Plants have evolved several strategies to deal with environmental stresses, including epigenetic modifications. Numerous studies show that environmental stresses trigger methylation/demethylation during flowering to preserve/accelerate plant lifecycle. What's more, histone and DNA methylation can be induced to respond to stresses, resulting in changes of flowering gene expression and enhancing stress tolerance in plants. Furthermore, RNA methylation may influence stress-regulated flowering by regulating mRNA stability and antioxidant mechanism. Our review presents the involvement of methylation in stress-repressed and stress-induced flowering. The crosstalk between methylation and small RNAs, phytohormones and exogenous substances (such as salicylic acid, nitric oxide) during flowering under different stresses were discussed. The latest regulatory evidence of RNA methylation in stress-regulated flowering was collected for the first time. Meanwhile, the limited evidences of methylation in biotic stress-induced flowering were summarized. Thus, the review provides insights into understanding of methylation mechanism in stress-regulated flowering and makes use for the development of regulating plant flowering at epigenetic level in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meimei Shi
- College of Horticulture, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Chunlei Wang
- College of Horticulture, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Peng Wang
- College of Horticulture, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Meiling Zhang
- College of Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Weibiao Liao
- College of Horticulture, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China.
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Song Y, Tang Y, Liu L, Xu Y, Wang T. The methyl-CpG-binding domain family member PEM1 is essential for Ubisch body formation and pollen exine development in rice. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 111:1283-1295. [PMID: 35765221 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Pollen exine is composed of finely-organized nexine, bacula and tectum, and is crucial for pollen viability and function. Pollen exine development involves a complicated molecular network that coordinates the interaction between pollen and tapetal cells, as well as the biosynthesis, transport and assembly of sporopollenin precursors; however, our understanding of this network is very limited. Here, we report the roles of PEM1, a member of methyl-CpG-binding domain family, in rice pollen development. PEM1 expressed constitutively and, in anthers, its expression was detectable in tapetal cells and pollen. This predicted PEM1 protein of 240 kDa had multiple epigenetic-related domains. pem1 mutants exhibited abnormal Ubisch bodies, delayed exine occurrence and, finally, defective exine, including invisible bacula, amorphous and thickened nexine and tectum layer structures, and also had the phenotype of increased anther cuticle. The mutation in PEM1 did not affect the timely degradation of tapetum. Lipidomics revealed much higher wax and cutin contents in mutant anthers than in wild-type. Accordingly, this mutation up-regulated the expression of a set of genes implicated in transcriptional repression, signaling and diverse metabolic pathways. These results indicate that PEM1 mediates Ubisch body formation and pollen exine development mainly by negatively modulating the expression of genes. Thus, the PEM1-mediated molecular network represents a route for insights into mechanisms underlying pollen development. PEM1 may be a master regulator of pollen exine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunyun Song
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Yongyan Tang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Lingtong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Yunyuan Xu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Tai Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
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Methyl-CpG binding proteins (MBD) family evolution and conservation in plants. Gene 2022; 824:146404. [PMID: 35278634 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
DNA methylation is an epigenetic mechanism that acts on cytosine residues. The methyl-CpG-binding domain proteins (MBD) are involved in the recognition of methyl-cytosines by activating a signaling cascade that induces the formation of heterochromatin or euchromatin, thereby regulating gene expression. In this study, we analyzed the evolution and conservation of MBD proteins in plants. First, we performed a genome-wide identification and analysis of the MBD family in common bean and soybean, since they have experienced one and two whole-genome duplication events, respectively. We found one pair of MBD paralogs in soybean (GmMBD2) has subfunctionalized after their recent divergence, which was corroborated with their expression profile. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that classes of MBD proteins clustered with human MBD. Interestingly, the MBD9 may have emerged after the hexaploidization event in eudicots. We found that plants and humans share a great similarity in MBDs' binding affinity in the mCpG context. MBD2 and MBD4 from different plant species have the conserved four amino acid residues -Arg (R), Asp (D), Tyr (Y) and Arg (R)- reported to be responsible for MBD-binding in the mCpG. However, MBD8, MBD9, MBD10, and MBD11 underwent substitutions in these residues, suggesting the non-interaction in the mCpG context, but a heterochromatin association as MBD5 and MBD6 from human. This study represents the first genome-wide analysis of the MBD gene family in eurosids I - soybean and common bean. The data presented here contribute towards understanding the evolution of MBDs proteins in plants and their specific binding affinity on mCpG site.
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Williams BP, Bechen LL, Pohlmann DA, Gehring M. Somatic DNA demethylation generates tissue-specific methylation states and impacts flowering time. THE PLANT CELL 2022; 34:1189-1206. [PMID: 34954804 PMCID: PMC8972289 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koab319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Cytosine methylation is a reversible epigenetic modification of DNA. In plants, removal of cytosine methylation is accomplished by the four members of the DEMETER (DME) family of 5-methylcytosine DNA glycosylases, named DME, DEMETER-LIKE2 (DML2), DML3, and REPRESSOR OF SILENCING1 (ROS1) in Arabidopsis thaliana. Demethylation by DME is critical for seed development, preventing experiments to determine the function of the entire gene family in somatic tissues by mutant analysis. Here, we bypassed the reproductive defects of dme mutants to create somatic quadruple homozygous mutants of the entire DME family. dme; ros1; dml2; and dml3 (drdd) leaves exhibit hypermethylated regions compared with wild-type leaves and rdd triple mutants, indicating functional redundancy among all four demethylases. Targets of demethylation include regions co-targeted by RNA-directed DNA methylation and, surprisingly, CG gene body methylation, indicating dynamic methylation at these less-understood sites. Additionally, many tissue-specific methylation differences are absent in drdd, suggesting a role for active demethylation in generating divergent epigenetic states across wild-type tissues. Furthermore, drdd plants display an early flowering phenotype, which involves 5'-hypermethylation and transcriptional down-regulation of FLOWERING LOCUS C. Active DNA demethylation is therefore required for proper methylation across somatic tissues and defines the epigenetic landscape of intergenic and coding regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben P Williams
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Lindsey L Bechen
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Deborah A Pohlmann
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Mary Gehring
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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Zhang J, Liao J, Ling Q, Xi Y, Qian Y. Genome-wide identification and expression profiling analysis of maize AP2/ERF superfamily genes reveal essential roles in abiotic stress tolerance. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:125. [PMID: 35151253 PMCID: PMC8841118 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08345-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background As one of the largest transcription factor families in plants, the APETALA2/Ethylene-Responsive Factor (AP2/ERF) superfamily is involved in various biological processes and plays significant roles in plant growth, development and responses to various stresses. Although identification and characterization of AP2/ERF superfamily genes have been accomplished in many plant species, very little is known regarding the structure and function of AP2/ERF genes in maize. Results In this study, a total of 214 genes encoding ZmAP2/ERF proteins with complete AP2/ERF domain were eventually identified according to the AGPv4 version of the maize B73 genome. Based on the number of AP2/ERF domain and similarities of amino acid sequences among AP2/ERF proteins from Arabidopsis, rice and maize, all 214 putative ZmAP2/ERF proteins were categorized into three distinct families, including the AP2 family (44), the ERF family (166) and the RAV family (4), respectively. Among them, the ERF family was further subdivided into two diverse subfamilies, including the DREB and ERF subfamilies with 61 and 105 members, respectively. Further, based on phylogenetic analysis, the members of DREB and ERF subfamilies were subdivided into four (Group I-IV) and eight (Group V-XII) groups, respectively. The characteristics of exon-intron structure of these putative ZmAP2/ERF genes and conserved protein motifs of their encoded ZmAP2/ERF proteins were also presented respectively, which was in accordance with the results of group classification. Promoter analysis suggested that ZmAP2/ERF genes shared many stress- and hormone-related cis-regulatory elements. Gene duplication and synteny analysis revealed that tandem or segmental duplication and purifying selection might play significant roles in evolution and functional differentiation of AP2/ERF superfamily genes among three various gramineous species (maize, rice and sorghum). Using RNA-seq data, transcriptome analysis indicated that the majority of ZmAP2/ERF genes displayed differential expression patterns at different developmental stages of maize. In addition, the following analyses of co-expression network among ZmAP2/ERF genes and protein protein interaction between ZmAP2 and ZmERF proteins further enabled us to understand the regulatory relationship among members of the AP2/ERF superfamily in maize. Furthermore, by quantitative real-time PCR analysis, twenty-seven selected ZmAP2/ERF genes were further confirmed to respond to three different abiotic stresses, suggesting their potential roles in various abiotic stress responses. Collectively, these results revealed that these ZmAP2/ERF genes play essential roles in abiotic stress tolerance. Conclusions Taken together, the present study will serve to present an important theoretical basis for further exploring the function and regulatory mechanism of ZmAP2/ERF genes in the growth, development, and adaptation to abiotic stresses in maize. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08345-7.
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Wu Z, Chen S, Zhou M, Jia L, Li Z, Zhang X, Min J, Liu K. Family-wide Characterization of Methylated DNA Binding Ability of Arabidopsis MBDs. J Mol Biol 2021; 434:167404. [PMID: 34919920 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
13 MBD-containing genes (AtMBD1-13) have been identified in Arabidopsis thaliana so far, however, their DNA binding ability is still controversial. Here, we systematically measured the DNA binding affinities of these MBDs by ITC and EMSA binding assays, except for those of pseudogenes AtMBD3 and AtMBD13, and found that only AtMBD6 and AtMBD7 function as methylated DNA readers. We also found that the MBD of AtMBD5 exhibits very weak binding to methylated DNA compared to that of AtMBD6. To further investigate the structural basis of AtMBDs in binding to methylated DNA, we determined the complex structure of the AtMBD6 MBD with a 12mer mCG DNA and the apo structure of the AtMBD5 MBD. Structural analysis coupled with mutagenesis studies indicated that, in addition to the conserved arginine fingers contributing to the DNA binding specificity, the residues located in the loop1 and α1 are also essential for the methylated DNA binding of these MBDs in Arabidopsis thaliana, which explains why AtMBD5 MBD and the other AtMBDs display very weak or no binding to methylated DNA. Thus, our study here systematically demonstrates the DNA binding ability of the MBDs in Arabidopsis thaliana, which also provides a general guideline in understanding the DNA binding ability of the MBDs in other plants as a whole.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhibin Wu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China
| | - Sizhuo Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China
| | - Mengqi Zhou
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China
| | - Lingbo Jia
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China
| | - Zhenhua Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China
| | - Xiyou Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China
| | - Jinrong Min
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China.
| | - Ke Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China.
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11
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Qu M, Zhang Z, Liang T, Niu P, Wu M, Chi W, Chen ZQ, Chen ZJ, Zhang S, Chen S. Overexpression of a methyl-CpG-binding protein gene OsMBD707 leads to larger tiller angles and reduced photoperiod sensitivity in rice. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 21:100. [PMID: 33602126 PMCID: PMC7893954 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-021-02880-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Methyl-CpG-binding domain (MBD) proteins play important roles in epigenetic gene regulation, and have diverse molecular, cellular, and biological functions in plants. MBD proteins have been functionally characterized in various plant species, including Arabidopsis, wheat, maize, and tomato. In rice, 17 sequences were bioinformatically predicted as putative MBD proteins. However, very little is known regarding the function of MBD proteins in rice. RESULTS We explored the expression patterns of the rice OsMBD family genes and identified 13 OsMBDs with active expression in various rice tissues. We further characterized the function of a rice class I MBD protein OsMBD707, and demonstrated that OsMBD707 is constitutively expressed and localized in the nucleus. Transgenic rice overexpressing OsMBD707 displayed larger tiller angles and reduced photoperiod sensitivity-delayed flowering under short day (SD) and early flowering under long day (LD). RNA-seq analysis revealed that overexpression of OsMBD707 led to reduced photoperiod sensitivity in rice and to expression changes in flowering regulator genes in the Ehd1-Hd3a/RFT1 pathway. CONCLUSION The results of this study suggested that OsMBD707 plays important roles in rice growth and development, and should lead to further studies on the functions of OsMBD proteins in growth, development, or other molecular, cellular, and biological processes in rice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyu Qu
- Marine and Agricultural Biotechnology Laboratory, Institute of Oceanography, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Zhujian Zhang
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou, 350003, China
- College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Tingmin Liang
- Marine and Agricultural Biotechnology Laboratory, Institute of Oceanography, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, 350108, China
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou, 350003, China
| | - Peipei Niu
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou, 350003, China
- College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Mingji Wu
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou, 350003, China
| | - Wenchao Chi
- Marine and Agricultural Biotechnology Laboratory, Institute of Oceanography, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Zi-Qiang Chen
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou, 350003, China
| | - Zai-Jie Chen
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou, 350003, China
| | - Shubiao Zhang
- College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China.
| | - Songbiao Chen
- Marine and Agricultural Biotechnology Laboratory, Institute of Oceanography, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, 350108, China.
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12
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Valentini N, Portis E, Botta R, Acquadro A, Pavese V, Cavalet Giorsa E, Torello Marinoni D. Mapping the Genetic Regions Responsible for Key Phenology-Related Traits in the European Hazelnut. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:749394. [PMID: 35003153 PMCID: PMC8733624 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.749394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
An increasing interest in the cultivation of (European) hazelnut (Corylus avellana) is driving a demand to breed cultivars adapted to non-conventional environments, particularly in the context of incipient climate change. Given that plant phenology is so strongly determined by genotype, a rational approach to support these breeding efforts will be to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and the genes underlying the basis for adaptation. The present study was designed to map QTLs for phenology-related traits, such as the timing of both male and female flowering, dichogamy, and the period required for nuts to reach maturity. The analysis took advantage of an existing linkage map developed from a population of F1 progeny bred from the cross "Tonda Gentile delle Langhe" × "Merveille de Bollwiller," consisting in 11 LG. A total of 42 QTL-harboring regions were identified. Overall, 71 QTLs were detected, 49 on the TGdL map and 22 on the MB map; among these, 21 were classified as major; 13 were detected in at least two of the seasons (stable-major QTL). In detail, 20 QTLs were identified as contributing to the time of male flowering, 15 to time of female flowering, 25 to dichogamy, and 11 to time of nut maturity. LG02 was found to harbor 16 QTLs, while 15 QTLs mapped to LG10 and 14 to LG03. Many of the QTLs were clustered with one another. The major cluster was located on TGdL_02 and consisted of mainly major QTLs governing all the analyzed traits. A search of the key genomic regions revealed 22 candidate genes underlying the set of traits being investigated. Many of them have been described in the literature as involved in processes related to flowering, control of dormancy, budburst, the switch from vegetative to reproductive growth, or the morphogenesis of flowers and seeds.
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13
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Grzybkowska D, Nowak K, Gaj MD. Hypermethylation of Auxin-Responsive Motifs in the Promoters of the Transcription Factor Genes Accompanies the Somatic Embryogenesis Induction in Arabidopsis. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E6849. [PMID: 32961931 PMCID: PMC7555384 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The auxin-induced embryogenic reprogramming of plant somatic cells is associated with extensive modulation of the gene expression in which epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation, seem to play a crucial role. However, the function of DNA methylation, including the role of auxin in epigenetic regulation of the SE-controlling genes, remains poorly understood. Hence, in the present study, we analysed the expression and methylation of the TF genes that play a critical regulatory role during SE induction (LEC1, LEC2, BBM, WUS and AGL15) in auxin-treated explants of Arabidopsis. The results showed that auxin treatment substantially affected both the expression and methylation patterns of the SE-involved TF genes in a concentration-dependent manner. The auxin treatment differentially modulated the methylation of the promoter (P) and gene body (GB) sequences of the SE-involved genes. Relevantly, the SE-effective auxin treatment (5.0 µM of 2,4-D) was associated with the stable hypermethylation of the P regions of the SE-involved genes and a significantly higher methylation of the P than the GB fragments was a characteristic feature of the embryogenic culture. The presence of auxin-responsive (AuxRE) motifs in the hypermethylated P regions suggests that auxin might substantially contribute to the DNA methylation-mediated control of the SE-involved genes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Małgorzata D. Gaj
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia in Katowice, Jagiellońska 28, 40-032 Katowice, Poland; (D.G.); (K.N.)
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14
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A mycorrhizae-like gene regulates stem cell and gametophore development in mosses. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2030. [PMID: 32332755 PMCID: PMC7181705 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15967-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant colonization of land has been intimately associated with mycorrhizae or mycorrhizae-like fungi. Despite the pivotal role of fungi in plant adaptation, it remains unclear whether and how gene acquisition following fungal interaction might have affected the development of land plants. Here we report a macro2 domain gene in bryophytes that is likely derived from Mucoromycota, a group that includes some mycorrhizae-like fungi found in the earliest land plants. Experimental and transcriptomic evidence suggests that this macro2 domain gene in the moss Physcomitrella patens, PpMACRO2, is important in epigenetic modification, stem cell function, cell reprogramming and other processes. Gene knockout and over-expression of PpMACRO2 significantly change the number and size of gametophores. These findings provide insights into the role of fungal association and the ancestral gene repertoire in the early evolution of land plants.
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15
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Cheng Y, Cheng L, Cao Q, Zou J, Li X, Ma X, Zhou J, Zhai F, Sun Z, Lan Y, Han L. Heterologous Expression of SvMBD5 from Salix viminalis L. Promotes Flowering in Arabidopsis thaliana L. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11030285. [PMID: 32156087 PMCID: PMC7140845 DOI: 10.3390/genes11030285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Methyl-CpG-binding domain (MBD) proteins have diverse molecular and biological functions in plants. Most studies of MBD proteins in plants have focused on the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana L. Here we cloned SvMBD5 from the willow Salix viminalis L. by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and analyzed the structure of SvMBD5 and its evolutionary relationships with proteins in other species. The coding sequence of SvMBD5 is 645 bp long, encoding a 214 amino acid protein with a methyl-CpG-binding domain. SvMBD5 belongs to the same subfamily as AtMBD5 and AtMBD6 from Arabidopsis. Subcellular localization analysis showed that SvMBD5 is only expressed in the nucleus. We transformed Arabidopsis plants with a 35S::SvMBD5 expression construct to examine SvMBD5 function. The Arabidopsis SvMBD5-expressing line flowered earlier than the wild type. In the transgenic plants, the expression of FLOWERING LOCUS T and CONSTANS significantly increased, while the expression of FLOWERING LOCUS C greatly decreased. In addition, heterologously expressing SvMBD5 in Arabidopsis significantly inhibited the establishment and maintenance of methylation of CHROMOMETHYLASE 3 and METHYLTRANSFERASE 1, as well as their expression, and significantly increased the expression of the demethylation-related genes REPRESSOR OF SILENCING1 and DEMETER-LIKE PROTEIN3. Our findings suggest that SvMBD5 participates in the flowering process by regulating the methylation levels of flowering genes, laying the foundation for further studying the role of SvMBD5 in regulating DNA demethylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunhe Cheng
- Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100193, China; (Y.C.); (J.Z.); (X.L.); (X.M.); (J.Z.); (Z.S.)
- Beijing Academy of Forestry and Pomology Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; (L.C.); (Q.C.)
| | - Lili Cheng
- Beijing Academy of Forestry and Pomology Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; (L.C.); (Q.C.)
| | - Qingchang Cao
- Beijing Academy of Forestry and Pomology Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; (L.C.); (Q.C.)
| | - Junzhu Zou
- Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100193, China; (Y.C.); (J.Z.); (X.L.); (X.M.); (J.Z.); (Z.S.)
- Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation, State Forestry Administration, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xia Li
- Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100193, China; (Y.C.); (J.Z.); (X.L.); (X.M.); (J.Z.); (Z.S.)
- Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation, State Forestry Administration, Beijing 100193, China
- College of Agriculture and Bioengineering, Heze University, Heze 274000, China
| | - Xiaodong Ma
- Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100193, China; (Y.C.); (J.Z.); (X.L.); (X.M.); (J.Z.); (Z.S.)
- Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation, State Forestry Administration, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jingjing Zhou
- Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100193, China; (Y.C.); (J.Z.); (X.L.); (X.M.); (J.Z.); (Z.S.)
- Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation, State Forestry Administration, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Feifei Zhai
- School of Architectural and Artistic Design, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454000, China;
| | - Zhenyuan Sun
- Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100193, China; (Y.C.); (J.Z.); (X.L.); (X.M.); (J.Z.); (Z.S.)
- Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation, State Forestry Administration, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yanping Lan
- Beijing Academy of Forestry and Pomology Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; (L.C.); (Q.C.)
- Correspondence: (Y.L.); (L.H.); Tel.: +86-010-827-596-103 (Y.L.); +86-010-62-889-652 (L.H.)
| | - Lei Han
- Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100193, China; (Y.C.); (J.Z.); (X.L.); (X.M.); (J.Z.); (Z.S.)
- Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation, State Forestry Administration, Beijing 100193, China
- Correspondence: (Y.L.); (L.H.); Tel.: +86-010-827-596-103 (Y.L.); +86-010-62-889-652 (L.H.)
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16
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Luo YX, Hou XM, Zhang CJ, Tan LM, Shao CR, Lin RN, Su YN, Cai XW, Li L, Chen S, He XJ. A plant-specific SWR1 chromatin-remodeling complex couples histone H2A.Z deposition with nucleosome sliding. EMBO J 2020; 39:e102008. [PMID: 32115743 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2019102008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Deposition of H2A.Z in chromatin is known to be mediated by a conserved SWR1 chromatin-remodeling complex in eukaryotes. However, little is known about whether and how the SWR1 complex cooperates with other chromatin regulators. Using immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry, we found all known components of the Arabidopsis thaliana SWR1 complex and additionally identified the following three classes of previously uncharacterized plant-specific SWR1 components: MBD9, a methyl-CpG-binding domain-containing protein; CHR11 and CHR17 (CHR11/17), ISWI chromatin remodelers responsible for nucleosome sliding; and TRA1a and TRA1b, accessory subunits of the conserved NuA4 histone acetyltransferase complex. MBD9 directly interacts with CHR11/17 and the SWR1 catalytic subunit PIE1, and is responsible for the association of CHR11/17 with the SWR1 complex. MBD9, TRA1a, and TRA1b function as canonical components of the SWR1 complex to mediate H2A.Z deposition. CHR11/17 are not only responsible for nucleosome sliding but also involved in H2A.Z deposition. These results indicate that the association of the SWR1 complex with CHR11/17 may facilitate the coupling of H2A.Z deposition with nucleosome sliding, thereby co-regulating gene expression, development, and flowering time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Xi Luo
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Mei Hou
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Cui-Jun Zhang
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lian-Mei Tan
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | | | - Rong-Nan Lin
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yin-Na Su
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xue-Wei Cai
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Li
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - She Chen
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xin-Jian He
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China.,Tsinghua Institute of Multidisciplinary Biomedical Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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17
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Sijacic P, Holder DH, Bajic M, Deal RB. Methyl-CpG-binding domain 9 (MBD9) is required for H2A.Z incorporation into chromatin at a subset of H2A.Z-enriched regions in the Arabidopsis genome. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008326. [PMID: 31381567 PMCID: PMC6695207 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The SWR1 chromatin remodeling complex, which deposits the histone variant H2A.Z into nucleosomes, has been well characterized in yeast and animals, but its composition in plants has remained uncertain. We used the conserved SWR1 subunit ACTIN RELATED PROTEIN 6 (ARP6) as bait in tandem affinity purification experiments to isolate associated proteins from Arabidopsis thaliana. We identified all 11 subunits found in yeast SWR1 and the homologous mammalian SRCAP complexes, demonstrating that this complex is conserved in plants. We also identified several additional proteins not previously associated with SWR1, including Methyl-CpG-BINDING DOMAIN 9 (MBD9) and three members of the Alfin1-like protein family, all of which have been shown to bind modified histone tails. Since mbd9 mutant plants were phenotypically similar to arp6 mutants, we explored a potential role for MBD9 in H2A.Z deposition. We found that MBD9 is required for proper H2A.Z incorporation at thousands of discrete sites, which represent a subset of the genomic regions normally enriched with H2A.Z. We also discovered that MBD9 preferentially interacts with acetylated histone H4 peptides, as well as those carrying mono- or dimethylated H3 lysine 4, or dimethylated H3 arginine 2 or 8. Considering that MBD9-dependent H2A.Z sites show a distinct histone modification profile, we propose that MBD9 recognizes particular nucleosome modifications via its PHD- and Bromo-domains and thereby guides SWR1 to these sites for H2A.Z deposition. Our data establish the SWR1 complex as being conserved across eukaryotes and suggest that MBD9 may be involved in targeting the complex to specific genomic sites through nucleosomal interactions. The finding that MBD9 does not appear to be a core subunit of the Arabidopsis SWR1 complex, along with the synergistic phenotype of arp6;mbd9 double mutants, suggests that MBD9 also has important roles beyond H2A.Z deposition. The histone H2A variant, H2A.Z, is found in all known eukaryotes and plays important roles in transcriptional regulation. H2A.Z is selectively incorporated into nucleosomes within many genes by the activity of a conserved ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complex in yeast, insects, and mammals. Whether this complex exists in the same form in plants, and how the complex is targeted to specific genomic locations have remained open questions. In this study we demonstrate that plants do indeed utilize a complex analogous to those of fungi and animals to deposit H2A.Z, and we also identify several new proteins that interact with this complex. We found that one such interactor, Methyl-CpG-BINDING DOMAIN 9 (MBD9), is required for H2A.Z incorporation at thousands of genomic sites that share a distinct histone modification profile. The histone binding properties of MBD9 suggest that it may guide H2A.Z deposition to specific sites by interacting with modified nucleosomes and with the H2A.Z deposition complex. We hypothesize that this represents a general paradigm for the targeting of H2A.Z to specific sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paja Sijacic
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Dylan H. Holder
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Marko Bajic
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Roger B. Deal
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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18
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Arabidopsis SWR1-associated protein methyl-CpG-binding domain 9 is required for histone H2A.Z deposition. Nat Commun 2019; 10:3352. [PMID: 31350403 PMCID: PMC6659704 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11291-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Deposition of the histone variant H2A.Z by the SWI2/SNF2-Related 1 chromatin remodeling complex (SWR1-C) is important for gene regulation in eukaryotes, but the composition of the Arabidopsis SWR1-C has not been thoroughly characterized. Here, we aim to identify interacting partners of a conserved Arabidopsis SWR1 subunit ACTIN-RELATED PROTEIN 6 (ARP6). We isolate nine predicted components and identify additional interactors implicated in histone acetylation and chromatin biology. One of the interacting partners, methyl-CpG-binding domain 9 (MBD9), also strongly interacts with the Imitation SWItch (ISWI) chromatin remodeling complex. MBD9 is required for deposition of H2A.Z at a distinct subset of ARP6-dependent loci. MBD9 is preferentially bound to nucleosome-depleted regions at the 5’ ends of genes containing high levels of activating histone marks. These data suggest that MBD9 is a SWR1-C interacting protein required for H2A.Z deposition at a subset of actively transcribing genes. The SWI2/SNF2-Related 1 chromatin remodeling complex (SWR1-C) is important for gene regulation, but its composition remains largely uncharacterized in plants. Here, the authors report that methyl-CpG-binding domain 9 (MBD9) is a SWR1-C interacting protein required for histone H2A.Z deposition in Arabidopsis.
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19
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AtMBD4: A methylated DNA binding protein negatively regulates a subset of phosphate starvation genes. J Biosci 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s12038-018-9843-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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20
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Parida AP, Raghuvanshi U, Pareek A, Singh V, Kumar R, Sharma AK. Genome-wide analysis of genes encoding MBD domain-containing proteins from tomato suggest their role in fruit development and abiotic stress responses. Mol Biol Rep 2018; 45:2653-2669. [PMID: 30350236 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-018-4435-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 10/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
In tomato, DNA methylation has an inhibitory effect on fruit ripening. The inhibition of DNA methyltransferase by 5-azacytidine results in premature fruit ripening. Methyl CpG binding domain (MBD) proteins are the readers of DNA methylation marks and help in the recruitment of chromatin-modifying enzymes which affect gene expression. Therefore, we investigate their contribution during fruit development. In this study, we identified and analyzed 18 putative genes of Solanum lycopersicum and Solanum pimpinellifolium encoding MBD proteins. We also identified tomato MBD syntelogs in Capsicum annum and Solanum tuberosum. Sixty-three MBD genes identified from four different species of solanaceae were classified into three groups. An analysis of the conserved domains in these proteins identified additional domains along with MBD motif. The transcript profiling of tomato MBDs in wild-type and two non-ripening mutants, rin and Nr, indicated constructive information regarding their involvement during fruit development. When we performed a stage-specific expression analysis during fruit ripening, a gradual decrease in transcript accumulation in the wild-type fruit was detected. However, a very low expression was observed in the ripening mutants. Furthermore, many ethylene-responsive cis-elements were found in SlMBD gene promoters, and some of them were induced in the presence of exogenous ethylene. Further, we detected the possible role of these MBDs in abiotic stresses. We found that few genes were differentially expressed under various abiotic stress conditions. Our results provide an evidence of the involvement of the tomato MBDs in fruit ripening and abiotic stress responses, which would be helpful in further studies on these genes in tomato fruit ripening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adwaita Prasad Parida
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi, South Campus, New Delhi, 110021, India
| | - Utkarsh Raghuvanshi
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi, South Campus, New Delhi, 110021, India
| | - Amit Pareek
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi, South Campus, New Delhi, 110021, India
| | - Vijendra Singh
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi, South Campus, New Delhi, 110021, India
| | - Rahul Kumar
- Department of Plant Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500046, India
| | - Arun Kumar Sharma
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi, South Campus, New Delhi, 110021, India.
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21
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Al Harrasi I, Al-Yahyai R, Yaish MW. Detection of Differential DNA Methylation Under Stress Conditions Using Bisulfite Sequence Analysis. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1631:121-137. [PMID: 28735394 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7136-7_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation is the most important epigenetic change affecting gene expression in plants grown under normal as well as under stress conditions. Therefore, researchers study differential DNA methylation under distinct environmental conditions and their relationship with transcriptome abundance. Up to date, more than 25 methods and techniques are available to detect DNA methylation based on different principles. Bisulfite sequencing method is considered as a gold standard since it is able to distinguish 5-methylcytosine from cytosine using the bisulfite treatment. Therefore, it is useful for qualitative and semiquantitative measurement of DNA methylation. However, the reliability of data obtaining from this technique is mainly depending on the efficiency of bisulfite conversion and number of sequencing clones representing the target-converted sequence. Therefore, it is labor intensive and time-consuming. Revolution of next generation DNA sequencing (NGS) has allowed researches to combine conventional bisulfite sequencing methods with high-throughput Illumina sequencing in a technique called whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS). This technique allows a single nucleotide resolution of 5-methylcytosine on a genome scale. WGBS technique workflow involves DNA fragmentation, processing through end blunting, terminal A(s) addition at 3' end and adaptor ligation, bisulfite treatment, PCR amplification, sequencing libraries and assembling, and finally alignment with the reference genome and data analysis. Despite the fact that WGBS is more reliable than the conventional clone-based bisulfite sequencing, it is costly, requires large amount of DNA and its output data is not easily handled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibtisam Al Harrasi
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, PO box 36, Muscat, Oman
| | - Rashid Al-Yahyai
- Department of Crop Science, College of Agriculture and Marine Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
| | - Mahmoud W Yaish
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, PO box 36, Muscat, Oman.
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22
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Al-Harrasi I, Al-Yahyai R, Yaish MW. Differential DNA methylation and transcription profiles in date palm roots exposed to salinity. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0191492. [PMID: 29352281 PMCID: PMC5774813 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2017] [Accepted: 01/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
As a salt-adaptive plant, the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) requires a suitable mechanism to adapt to the stress of saline soils. There is growing evidence that DNA methylation plays an important role in regulating gene expression in response to abiotic stresses, including salinity. Thus, the present study sought to examine the differential methylation status that occurs in the date palm genome when plants are exposed to salinity, and to identify salinity responsive genes that are regulated by DNA methylation. To achieve these, whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) was employed and mRNA was sequenced from salinity-treated and untreated roots. The WGBS analysis included 324,987,795 and 317,056,091 total reads of the control and the salinity-treated samples, respectively. The analysis covered about 81% of the total genomic DNA with about 40% of mapping efficiency of the sequenced reads and an average read depth of 17-fold coverage per DNA strand, and with a bisulfite conversion rate of around 99%. The level of methylation within the differentially methylated regions (DMRs) was significantly (p < 0.05, FDR ≤ 0.05) increased in response to salinity specifically at the mCHG and mCHH sequence contexts. Consistently, the mass spectrometry and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) showed that there was a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the global DNA methylation in response to salinity. mRNA sequencing revealed the presence of 6,405 differentially regulated genes with a significant value (p < 0.001, FDR ≤ 0.05) in response to salinity. Integration of high-resolution methylome and transcriptome analyses revealed a negative correlation between mCG methylation located within the promoters and the gene expression, while a positive correlation was noticed between mCHG/mCHH methylation rations and gene expression specifically when plants grew under control conditions. Therefore, the methylome and transcriptome relationships vary based on the methylated sequence context, the methylated region within the gene, the protein-coding ability of the gene, and the salinity treatment. These results provide insights into interplay among DNA methylation and gene expression, and highlight the effect of salinity on the nature of this relationship, which may involve other genetic and epigenetic players under salt stress conditions. The results obtained from this project provide the first draft map of the differential methylome and transcriptome of date palm when exposed to an abiotic stress.
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MESH Headings
- Adaptation, Physiological/genetics
- DNA Methylation
- DNA, Plant/genetics
- DNA, Plant/metabolism
- Epigenesis, Genetic
- Gene Expression Profiling
- Genes, Plant
- Molecular Sequence Annotation
- Phoeniceae/genetics
- Phoeniceae/growth & development
- Phoeniceae/metabolism
- Photosynthesis
- Plant Roots/genetics
- Plant Roots/growth & development
- Plant Roots/metabolism
- Promoter Regions, Genetic
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- RNA, Messenger/metabolism
- RNA, Plant/genetics
- RNA, Plant/metabolism
- Salinity
- Whole Genome Sequencing
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibtisam Al-Harrasi
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
| | - Rashid Al-Yahyai
- Department of Crop Sciences, College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
| | - Mahmoud W. Yaish
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
- * E-mail:
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Ghan R, Petereit J, Tillett RL, Schlauch KA, Toubiana D, Fait A, Cramer GR. The common transcriptional subnetworks of the grape berry skin in the late stages of ripening. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2017; 17:94. [PMID: 28558655 PMCID: PMC5450095 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-017-1043-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wine grapes are important economically in many countries around the world. Defining the optimum time for grape harvest is a major challenge to the grower and winemaker. Berry skins are an important source of flavor, color and other quality traits in the ripening stage. Senescent-like processes such as chloroplast disorganization and cell death characterize the late ripening stage. RESULTS To better understand the molecular and physiological processes involved in the late stages of berry ripening, RNA-seq analysis of the skins of seven wine grape cultivars (Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon) was performed. RNA-seq analysis identified approximately 2000 common differentially expressed genes for all seven cultivars across four different berry sugar levels (20 to 26 °Brix). Network analyses, both a posteriori (standard) and a priori (gene co-expression network analysis), were used to elucidate transcriptional subnetworks and hub genes associated with traits in the berry skins of the late stages of berry ripening. These independent approaches revealed genes involved in photosynthesis, catabolism, and nucleotide metabolism. The transcript abundance of most photosynthetic genes declined with increasing sugar levels in the berries. The transcript abundance of other processes increased such as nucleic acid metabolism, chromosome organization and lipid catabolism. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified 64 gene modules that were organized into 12 subnetworks of three modules or more and six higher order gene subnetworks. Some gene subnetworks were highly correlated with sugar levels and some subnetworks were highly enriched in the chloroplast and nucleus. The petal R package was utilized independently to construct a true small-world and scale-free complex gene co-expression network model. A subnetwork of 216 genes with the highest connectivity was elucidated, consistent with the module results from WGCNA. Hub genes in these subnetworks were identified including numerous members of the core circadian clock, RNA splicing, proteolysis and chromosome organization. An integrated model was constructed linking light sensing with alternative splicing, chromosome remodeling and the circadian clock. CONCLUSIONS A common set of differentially expressed genes and gene subnetworks from seven different cultivars were examined in the skin of the late stages of grapevine berry ripening. A densely connected gene subnetwork was elucidated involving a complex interaction of berry senescent processes (autophagy), catabolism, the circadian clock, RNA splicing, proteolysis and epigenetic regulation. Hypotheses were induced from these data sets involving sugar accumulation, light, autophagy, epigenetic regulation, and fruit development. This work provides a better understanding of berry development and the transcriptional processes involved in the late stages of ripening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Ghan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557 USA
| | - Juli Petereit
- Nevada INBRE Bioinformatics Core, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557 USA
| | - Richard L. Tillett
- Nevada INBRE Bioinformatics Core, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557 USA
| | - Karen A. Schlauch
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557 USA
- Nevada INBRE Bioinformatics Core, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557 USA
| | - David Toubiana
- Telekom Innovation, Laboratories and Cyber Security Research Center, Department of Information, Systems Engineering, Ben Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Aaron Fait
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, 84990 Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Grant R. Cramer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557 USA
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Shi R, Zhang J, Li J, Wang K, Jia H, Zhang L, Wang P, Yin J, Meng F, Li Y. Cloning and characterization of TaMBD6 homeologues encoding methyl-CpG-binding domain proteins in wheat. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2016; 109:1-8. [PMID: 27611240 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2016.08.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2016] [Revised: 08/30/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation is a major epigenetic marker in plants that plays a crucial role in transcriptional and developmental regulation. The DNA methylation 'code' is thought to be 'read' by a set of proteins containing methyl-CpG-binding domain (MBD). However, little is known about MBD genes in common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Here, we report the isolation and characterization of TaMBD6 and its homeologues (TaMBD6_A, TaMBD6_B, and TaMBD6_D) in hexaploid wheat. The cDNA was quite different among the three homeologues and InDel mutations were detected in 5'-UTR and coding region. Two types of TRs (tandem repeats) -- TR1 (57 bp) and TR2 (39 bp) -- occurred in the coding region. TaMBD6_B harbored five copies of TR1 and two copies of TR2. In contrast, TaMBD6_A lacked 30 bp between the 2nd and 3rd copy of TR1, while TaMBD6_D was missing two copies of TR1 but had three copies of TR2. TaMBD6_A, TaMBD6_B, and TaMBD6_D encoded 435, 446, and 420 amino acids, respectively. Structural analysis of TaMBD6 protein indicated that each of the three homeologues had an identical MBD domain at the N-terminal, as well as a typical nuclear localization signal. Although genomics analysis showed that two introns were included, the length of the first intron varied from 3100 bp to 3471 bp and their sequences were very different. Expression analysis demonstrated that the transcription level of TaMBD6 began to increase gradually in developing grains at 15 days after pollination while decreasing significantly in endosperm and embryo tissues during germination. Expression of TaMBD6 appeared to be positively correlated with starch metabolism in the endosperm but was negatively correlated with embryo formation and sprouting. We were also interested to learn that TaMBD6 homeologues were differentially expressed in developing wheat plants and that their expression patterns were variously affected by vernalization treatment. Further investigation revealed that TaMBD6 was induced by prolonged chilling, indicating that the protein is potentially involved in regulating the developmental transition from vegetative to reproductive stages. Although the homeologues generally showed similar differential expression patterns, TaMBD6_D and TaMBD6_B contribute more to the processes of grain development and germination while TaMBD6_A is predominant in mature plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruijie Shi
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Jiahui Zhang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Jingyuan Li
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Ketao Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Haiying Jia
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Lin Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Putong Wang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Jun Yin
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Fanrong Meng
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China.
| | - Yongchun Li
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China.
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Hale CJ, Potok ME, Lopez J, Do T, Liu A, Gallego-Bartolome J, Michaels SD, Jacobsen SE. Identification of Multiple Proteins Coupling Transcriptional Gene Silencing to Genome Stability in Arabidopsis thaliana. PLoS Genet 2016; 12:e1006092. [PMID: 27253878 PMCID: PMC4890748 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2016] [Accepted: 05/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic genomes are regulated by epigenetic marks that act to modulate transcriptional control as well as to regulate DNA replication and repair. In Arabidopsis thaliana, mutation of the ATXR5 and ATXR6 histone methyltransferases causes reduction in histone H3 lysine 27 monomethylation, transcriptional upregulation of transposons, and a genome instability defect in which there is an accumulation of excess DNA corresponding to pericentromeric heterochromatin. We designed a forward genetic screen to identify suppressors of the atxr5/6 phenotype that uncovered loss-of-function mutations in two components of the TREX-2 complex (AtTHP1, AtSAC3B), a SUMO-interacting E3 ubiquitin ligase (AtSTUbL2) and a methyl-binding domain protein (AtMBD9). Additionally, using a reverse genetic approach, we show that a mutation in a plant homolog of the tumor suppressor gene BRCA1 enhances the atxr5/6 phenotype. Through characterization of these mutations, our results suggest models for the production atxr5 atxr6-induced extra DNA involving conflicts between the replicative and transcriptional processes in the cell, and suggest that the atxr5 atxr6 transcriptional defects may be the cause of the genome instability defects in the mutants. These findings highlight the critical intersection of transcriptional silencing and DNA replication in the maintenance of genome stability of heterochromatin. In eukaryotic genomes cellular processes such as transcription and replication need to be tightly controlled in order to promote genomic stability and prevent deleterious mutations. In Arabidopsis thaliana, two redundant histone methyltransferases, ATXR5 and ATXR6, are responsible for the deposition of a silencing epigenetic mark, histone H3 lysine 27 monomethylation. Loss of ATXR5/6 results in transcriptional activation of transposable elements (TEs), upregulation of DNA damage response genes and a genomic instability defect characterized as an excess of DNA corresponding to heterochromatin regions. Using a genetic screen, we sought to find suppressors of the atxr5/6 phenotype, and interestingly, we identified multiple genes implicated in general transcriptional activity. Through genomic characterization of the mutants our data suggest a model where transcriptional silencing of heterochromatin during S-phase is required for proper replication and maintenance of genome stability. These findings emphasize the important relationship between chromatin, transcriptional control and replication in the maintenance of genome stability in a eukaryotic system and identify new players involved in these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J. Hale
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Center for Precision Diagnostics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Magdalena E. Potok
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Jennifer Lopez
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Truman Do
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Ao Liu
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Javier Gallego-Bartolome
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Scott D. Michaels
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Steven E. Jacobsen
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Li Y, Deng H, Miao M, Li H, Huang S, Wang S, Liu Y. Tomato MBD5, a methyl CpG binding domain protein, physically interacting with UV-damaged DNA binding protein-1, functions in multiple processes. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2016; 210:208-26. [PMID: 26551231 DOI: 10.1111/nph.13745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2015] [Accepted: 10/02/2015] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
In tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), high pigment mutations (hp-1 and hp-2) were mapped to genes encoding UV-damaged DNA binding protein 1 (DDB1) and de-etiolated-1 (DET1), respectively. Here we characterized a tomato methyl-CpG-binding domain protein SlMBD5 identified by yeast two-hybrid screening using SlDDB1 as a bait. Yeast two-hybrid assay demonstrated that the physical interaction of SlMBD5 with SlDDB1 is mediated by the C-termini of SlMBD5 and the β-propeller-C (BPC) of SlDDB1. Co-immunoprecipitation analyses revealed that SlMBD5 associates with SlDDB1-interacting partners including SlDET1, SlCUL4, SlRBX1a and SlRBX1b in vivo. SlMBD5 was shown to target to nucleus and dimerizes via its MBD motif. Electrophoresis mobility shift analysis suggested that the MBD of SlMBD5 specifically binds to methylated CpG dinucleotides but not to methylated CpHpG or CpHpH dinucleotides. SlMBD5 expressed in protoplast is capable of activating transcription of CG islands, whereas CUL4/DDB1 antagonizes this effect. Overexpressing SlMBD5 resulted in diverse developmental alterations including darker green fruits with increased plastid level and elevated pigmentation, as well as enhanced expression of SlGLK2, a key regulator of plastid biogenesis. Taken together, we hypothesize that the physical interaction of SlMBD5 with the CUL4-DDB1-DET1 complex component may affect its binding activity to methylated DNA and subsequently attenuate its transcription activation of downstream genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxiang Li
- Ministry of education Key Laboratory for Bio-resource and Eco-environment, State key laboratory of Hydraulics and mountain River Engineering, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064, China
| | - Heng Deng
- Ministry of education Key Laboratory for Bio-resource and Eco-environment, State key laboratory of Hydraulics and mountain River Engineering, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064, China
| | - Min Miao
- School of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Huirong Li
- Ministry of education Key Laboratory for Bio-resource and Eco-environment, State key laboratory of Hydraulics and mountain River Engineering, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064, China
| | - Shengxiong Huang
- School of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Songhu Wang
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yongsheng Liu
- Ministry of education Key Laboratory for Bio-resource and Eco-environment, State key laboratory of Hydraulics and mountain River Engineering, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064, China
- School of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
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Wang X, Xin C, Cai J, Zhou Q, Dai T, Cao W, Jiang D. Heat Priming Induces Trans-generational Tolerance to High Temperature Stress in Wheat. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2016; 7:501. [PMID: 27148324 PMCID: PMC4830833 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2016.00501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Wheat plants are very sensitive to high temperature stress during grain filling. Effects of heat priming applied to the first generation on tolerance of the successive generation to post-anthesis high temperature stress were investigated. Compared with the progeny of non-heat primed plants (NH), the progeny of heat-primed plants (PH) possessed higher grain yield, leaf photosynthesis and activities of antioxidant enzymes and lower cell membrane damage under high temperature stress. In the transcriptome profile, 1430 probes showed obvious difference in expression between PH and NH. These genes were related to signal transduction, transcription, energy, defense, and protein destination and storage, respectively. The gene encoding the lysine-specific histone demethylase 1 (LSD1) which was involved in histone demethylation related to epigenetic modification was up-regulated in the PH compared with NH. The proteome analysis indicated that the proteins involved in photosynthesis, energy production and protein destination and storage were up-regulated in the PH compared with NH. In short, thermos-tolerance was induced through heritable epigenetic alternation and signaling transduction, both processes further triggered prompt modifications of defense related responses in anti-oxidation, transcription, energy production, and protein destination and storage in the progeny of the primed plants under high temperature stress. It was concluded that trans-generation thermo-tolerance was induced by heat priming in the first generation, and this might be an effective measure to cope with severe high-temperature stresses during key growth stages in wheat production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Wang
- National Technology Innovation Center for Regional Wheat Production/National Engineering and Technology Center for Information Agriculture/Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology and Ecology in Southern China, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjing, China
| | - Caiyun Xin
- National Technology Innovation Center for Regional Wheat Production/National Engineering and Technology Center for Information Agriculture/Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology and Ecology in Southern China, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjing, China
- Rice Research Institute, Shandong Academy of Agricultural SciencesJinan, China
| | - Jian Cai
- National Technology Innovation Center for Regional Wheat Production/National Engineering and Technology Center for Information Agriculture/Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology and Ecology in Southern China, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjing, China
| | - Qin Zhou
- National Technology Innovation Center for Regional Wheat Production/National Engineering and Technology Center for Information Agriculture/Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology and Ecology in Southern China, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Dong Jiang, ; Qin Zhou,
| | - Tingbo Dai
- National Technology Innovation Center for Regional Wheat Production/National Engineering and Technology Center for Information Agriculture/Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology and Ecology in Southern China, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjing, China
| | - Weixing Cao
- National Technology Innovation Center for Regional Wheat Production/National Engineering and Technology Center for Information Agriculture/Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology and Ecology in Southern China, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjing, China
| | - Dong Jiang
- National Technology Innovation Center for Regional Wheat Production/National Engineering and Technology Center for Information Agriculture/Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology and Ecology in Southern China, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Dong Jiang, ; Qin Zhou,
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Roy S. Function of MYB domain transcription factors in abiotic stress and epigenetic control of stress response in plant genome. PLANT SIGNALING & BEHAVIOR 2016; 11:e1117723. [PMID: 26636625 PMCID: PMC4871670 DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2015.1117723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2015] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Plants have developed highly efficient and remarkable mechanisms to survive under frequent and extreme environmental stress conditions. Exposure of plants to various stress factors is associated with coordinated changes in gene expression at the transcriptional level and hence transcription factors, such as those belonging to the MYB family play a central role in triggering the right responses. MYB transcription factors have been extensively studied in regard of their involvement in the regulation of a number of such stress responses in plants. Genetic and molecular biological studies, primarily in Arabidopsis, have also begun to unravel the role of MYB transcription factors in the epigenetic regulation of stress responses in plants. This review focuses on the role of MYB transcription factors in the regulation of various stress responses in general, highlighting on recent advances in our understanding of the involvement of this class of transcription factors in epigenetic regulation of stress response in plant genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujit Roy
- Department of Botany, UGC Center of Advanced Studies, Golapbag, The University of Burdwan, Burdwan, West Bengal, India
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Wan Y, Tang K, Zhang D, Xie S, Zhu X, Wang Z, Lang Z. Transcriptome-wide high-throughput deep m(6)A-seq reveals unique differential m(6)A methylation patterns between three organs in Arabidopsis thaliana. Genome Biol 2015; 16:272. [PMID: 26667818 PMCID: PMC4714525 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-015-0839-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2015] [Accepted: 11/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background m6A is a ubiquitous RNA modification in eukaryotes. Transcriptome-wide m6A patterns in Arabidopsis have been assayed recently. However, differential m6A patterns between organs have not been well characterized. Results Over two-third of the transcripts in Arabidopsis are modified by m6A. In contrast to a recent observation of m6A enrichment in 5′ mRNA, we find that m6A is distributed predominantly near stop codons. Interestingly, 85 % of the modified transcripts show high m6A methylation extent compared to their transcript level. The 290 highly methylated transcripts are mainly associated with transporters, stress responses, redox, regulation factors, and some non-coding RNAs. On average, the proportion of transcripts showing differential methylation between two plant organs is higher than that showing differential transcript levels. The transcripts with extensively higher m6A methylation in an organ are associated with the unique biological processes of this organ, suggesting that m6A may be another important contributor to organ differentiation in Arabidopsis. Highly expressed genes are relatively less methylated and vice versa, and different RNAs have distinct m6A patterns, which hint at mRNA fate. Intriguingly, most of the transposable element transcripts maintained a fragmented form with a relatively low transcript level and high m6A methylation in the cells. Conclusions This is the first study to comprehensively analyze m6A patterns in a variety of RNAs, the relationship between transcript level and m6A methylation extent, and differential m6A patterns across organs in Arabidopsis. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13059-015-0839-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizhen Wan
- State Key Lab Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China. .,Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
| | - Kai Tang
- Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Dayong Zhang
- Institute of Biotechnology, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, China
| | - Shaojun Xie
- Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.,Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xiaohong Zhu
- Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.,Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zegang Wang
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Zhaobo Lang
- Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA. .,Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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30
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Yaish MW, Peng M, Rothstein SJ. Global DNA methylation analysis using methyl-sensitive amplification polymorphism (MSAP). Methods Mol Biol 2014; 1062:285-98. [PMID: 24057373 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-62703-580-4_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
DNA methylation is a crucial epigenetic process which helps control gene transcription activity in eukaryotes. Information regarding the methylation status of a regulatory sequence of a particular gene provides important knowledge of this transcriptional control. DNA methylation can be detected using several methods, including sodium bisulfite sequencing and restriction digestion using methylation-sensitive endonucleases. Methyl-Sensitive Amplification Polymorphism (MSAP) is a technique used to study the global DNA methylation status of an organism and hence to distinguish between two individuals based on the DNA methylation status determined by the differential digestion pattern. Therefore, this technique is a useful method for DNA methylation mapping and positional cloning of differentially methylated genes. In this technique, genomic DNA is first digested with a methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme such as HpaII, and then the DNA fragments are ligated to adaptors in order to facilitate their amplification. Digestion using a methylation-insensitive isoschizomer of HpaII, MspI is used in a parallel digestion reaction as a loading control in the experiment. Subsequently, these fragments are selectively amplified by fluorescently labeled primers. PCR products from different individuals are compared, and once an interesting polymorphic locus is recognized, the desired DNA fragment can be isolated from a denaturing polyacrylamide gel, sequenced and identified based on DNA sequence similarity to other sequences available in the database. We will use analysis of met1, ddm1, and atmbd9 mutants and wild-type plants treated with a cytidine analogue, 5-azaC, or zebularine to demonstrate how to assess the genetic modulation of DNA methylation in Arabidopsis. It should be noted that despite the fact that MSAP is a reliable technique used to fish for polymorphic methylated loci, its power is limited to the restriction recognition sites of the enzymes used in the genomic DNA digestion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmoud W Yaish
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
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Duc C, Sherstnev A, Cole C, Barton GJ, Simpson GG. Transcription termination and chimeric RNA formation controlled by Arabidopsis thaliana FPA. PLoS Genet 2013; 9:e1003867. [PMID: 24204292 PMCID: PMC3814327 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2013] [Accepted: 08/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Alternative cleavage and polyadenylation influence the coding and regulatory potential of mRNAs and where transcription termination occurs. Although widespread, few regulators of this process are known. The Arabidopsis thaliana protein FPA is a rare example of a trans-acting regulator of poly(A) site choice. Analysing fpa mutants therefore provides an opportunity to reveal generic consequences of disrupting this process. We used direct RNA sequencing to quantify shifts in RNA 3′ formation in fpa mutants. Here we show that specific chimeric RNAs formed between the exons of otherwise separate genes are a striking consequence of loss of FPA function. We define intergenic read-through transcripts resulting from defective RNA 3′ end formation in fpa mutants and detail cryptic splicing and antisense transcription associated with these read-through RNAs. We identify alternative polyadenylation within introns that is sensitive to FPA and show FPA-dependent shifts in IBM1 poly(A) site selection that differ from those recently defined in mutants defective in intragenic heterochromatin and DNA methylation. Finally, we show that defective termination at specific loci in fpa mutants is shared with dicer-like 1 (dcl1) or dcl4 mutants, leading us to develop alternative explanations for some silencing roles of these proteins. We relate our findings to the impact that altered patterns of 3′ end formation can have on gene and genome organisation. The ends of almost all eukaryotic protein-coding genes are defined by a poly(A) signal. When genes are transcribed into mRNA by RNA polymerase II, the poly(A) signal guides cleavage of the precursor mRNA at a particular site; this is accompanied by the addition of a poly(A) tail to the mRNA and termination of transcription. Many genes have more than one poly(A) signal and the regulated choice of which to select can effectively determine what the gene will code for, how the gene can be regulated and where transcription termination occurs. We discovered a rare example of a regulator of poly(A) site choice, called FPA, while studying flower development in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Studying FPA therefore provides an opportunity to understand not only its roles in plant biology but also the generic consequences of disrupting alternative polyadenylation. In this study, we use a technique called direct RNA sequencing to quantify genome-wide shifts in poly(A) site selection in plants that lack FPA function. One of our most striking findings is that in the absence of FPA we detect chimeric RNAs formed between two otherwise separate and well-characterised genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Céline Duc
- College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander Sherstnev
- College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Christian Cole
- College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Geoffrey J. Barton
- College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (GJB); (GGS)
| | - Gordon G. Simpson
- College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom
- James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (GJB); (GGS)
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Rashid M, Guangyuan H, Guangxiao Y, Hussain J, Xu Y. AP2/ERF Transcription Factor in Rice: Genome-Wide Canvas and Syntenic Relationships between Monocots and Eudicots. Evol Bioinform Online 2012; 8:321-55. [PMID: 22807623 PMCID: PMC3396566 DOI: 10.4137/ebo.s9369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor family intimately regulates gene expression in response to hormones, biotic and abiotic factors, symbiotic interactions, cell differentiation, and stress signalling pathways in plants. In this study, 170 AP2/ERF family genes are identified by phylogenetic analysis of the rice genome (Oryza sativa l. japonica) and they are divided into a total of 11 groups, including four major groups (AP2, ERF, DREB, and RAV), 10 subgroups, and two soloists. Gene structure analysis revealed that, at position-6, the amino acid threonine (Thr-6) is conserved in the double domain AP2 proteins compared to the amino acid arginine (Arg-6), which is preserved in the single domain of ERF proteins. In addition, the histidine (His) amino acid is found in both domains of the double domain AP2 protein, which is missing in single domain ERF proteins. Motif analysis indicates that most of the conserved motifs, apart from the AP2/ERF domain, are exclusively distributed among the specific clades in the phylogenetic tree and regulate plausible functions. Expression analysis reveals a widespread distribution of the rice AP2/ERF family genes within plant tissues. In the vegetative organs, the transcripts of these genes are found most abundant in the roots followed by the leaf and stem; whereas, in reproductive tissues, the gene expression of this family is observed high in the embryo and lemma. From chromosomal localization, it appears that repetition and tandem-duplication may contribute to the evolution of new genes in the rice genome. In this study, interspecies comparisons between rice and wheat reveal 34 rice loci and unveil the extent of collinearity between the two genomes. It was subsequently ascertained that chromosome-9 has more orthologous loci for CRT/DRE genes whereas chromosome-2 exhibits orthologs for ERF subfamily members. Maximum conserved synteny is found in chromosome-3 for AP2 double domain subfamily genes. Macrosynteny between rice and Arabidopsis, a distant, related genome, uncovered 11 homologs/orthologs loci in both genomes. The distribution of AP2/ERF family gene paralogs in Arabidopsis was most frequent in chromosome-1 followed by chromosome-5. In Arabidopsis, ERF subfamily gene orthologs are found on chromosome-1, chromosome-3, and chromosome-5, whereas DRE subfamily genes are found on chromosome-2 and chromosome-5. Orthologs for RAV and AP2 with double domains in Arabidopsis are located on chromosome-1 and chromosome-3, respectively. In conclusion, the data generated in this survey will be useful for conducting genomic research to determine the precise role of the AP2/ERF gene during stress responses with the ultimate goal of improving crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Rashid
- China-UK HUST-RRes Genetic Engineering and Genomics Joint Laboratory, International Science and Technology Cooperation Base (Genetic Engineering) of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, The key laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Luoyu Road 1037, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - He Guangyuan
- China-UK HUST-RRes Genetic Engineering and Genomics Joint Laboratory, International Science and Technology Cooperation Base (Genetic Engineering) of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, The key laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Luoyu Road 1037, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Yang Guangxiao
- China-UK HUST-RRes Genetic Engineering and Genomics Joint Laboratory, International Science and Technology Cooperation Base (Genetic Engineering) of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, The key laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Luoyu Road 1037, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Javeed Hussain
- China-UK HUST-RRes Genetic Engineering and Genomics Joint Laboratory, International Science and Technology Cooperation Base (Genetic Engineering) of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, The key laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Luoyu Road 1037, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Yan Xu
- China-UK HUST-RRes Genetic Engineering and Genomics Joint Laboratory, International Science and Technology Cooperation Base (Genetic Engineering) of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, The key laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Luoyu Road 1037, Wuhan 430074, China
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DNA methylation in an intron of the IBM1 histone demethylase gene stabilizes chromatin modification patterns. EMBO J 2012; 31:2981-93. [PMID: 22580822 DOI: 10.1038/emboj.2012.141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2011] [Accepted: 04/20/2012] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The stability of epigenetic patterns is critical for genome integrity and gene expression. This highly coordinated process involves interrelated positive and negative regulators that impact distinct epigenetic marks, including DNA methylation and dimethylation at histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9me2). In Arabidopsis, mutations in the DNA methyltransferase MET1, which maintains CG methylation, result in aberrant patterns of other epigenetic marks, including ectopic non-CG methylation and the relocation of H3K9me2 from heterochromatin into gene-rich chromosome regions. Here, we show that the expression of the H3K9 demethylase IBM1 (increase in BONSAI methylation 1) requires DNA methylation. Surprisingly, the regulatory methylated region is contained in an unusually large intron that is conserved in IBM1 orthologues. The re-establishment of IBM1 expression in met1 mutants restored the wild-type H3K9me2 nuclear patterns, non-CG DNA methylation and transcriptional patterns at selected loci, which included DNA demethylase genes. These results provide a mechanistic explanation for long-standing puzzling observations in met1 mutants and reveal yet another layer of control in the interplay between DNA methylation and histone modification, which stabilizes DNA methylation patterns at genes.
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Saze H, Tsugane K, Kanno T, Nishimura T. DNA methylation in plants: relationship to small RNAs and histone modifications, and functions in transposon inactivation. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2012; 53:766-84. [PMID: 22302712 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcs008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation is a type of epigenetic marking that strongly influences chromatin structure and gene expression in plants and mammals. Over the past decade, DNA methylation has been intensively investigated in order to elucidate its control mechanisms. These studies have shown that small RNAs are involved in the induction of DNA methylation, that there is a relationship between DNA methylation and histone methylation, and that the base excision repair pathway has an important role in DNA demethylation. Some aspects of DNA methylation have also been shown to be shared with mammals, suggesting that the regulatory pathways are, in part at least, evolutionarily conserved. Considerable progress has been made in elucidating the mechanisms that control DNA methylation; however, many aspects of the mechanisms that read the information encoded by DNA methylation and mediate this into downstream regulation remain uncertain, although some candidate proteins have been identified. DNA methylation has a vital role in the inactivation of transposons, suggesting that DNA methylation is a key factor in the evolution and adaptation of plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hidetoshi Saze
- PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, 4-1-8 Honcho Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
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Aravind L, Iyer LM. The HARE-HTH and associated domains: novel modules in the coordination of epigenetic DNA and protein modifications. Cell Cycle 2012; 11:119-31. [PMID: 22186017 DOI: 10.4161/cc.11.1.18475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Human ASXL proteins, orthologs of Drosophila Additional Sex combs, have been implicated in conjunction with TET2 as a major target for mutations and translocations leading to a wide range of myeloid leukemias, related myelodysplastic conditions (ASXL1 and ASXL2) and the Bohring-Opitz syndrome, a developmental disorder (ASXL1). Using sensitive sequence and structure comparison methods, we show that most animal ASXL proteins contain a novel N-terminal domain that is also found in several other eukaryotic chromatin proteins, diverse restriction endonucleases and DNA glycosylases, the RNA polymerase delta subunit of Gram-positive bacteria and certain bacterial proteins that combine features of the RNA polymerase α-subunit and sigma factors. This domain adopts the winged helix-turn-helix fold and is predicted to bind DNA. Based on its domain architectural contexts, we present evidence that this domain might play an important role, both in eukaryotes and bacteria, in the recruitment of diverse effector activities, including the Polycomb repressive complexes, to DNA, depending on the state of epigenetic modifications such as 5-methylcytosine and its oxidized derivatives. In other eukaryotic chromatin proteins, this predicted DNA-binding domain is fused to a region with three conserved motifs that are also found in diverse eukaryotic chromatin proteins, such as the animal BAZ/WAL proteins, plant HB1 and MBD9, yeast Itc1p and Ioc3, RSF1, CECR2 and NURF1. Based on the crystal structure of Ioc3, we establish that these motifs in conjunction with the DDT motif constitute a structural determinant that is central to nucleosomal repositioning by the ISWI clade of SWI2/SNF2 ATPases. We also show that the central domain of the ASXL proteins (ASXH domain) is conserved outside of animals in fungi and plants, where it is combined with other domains, suggesting that it might be an ancient module mediating interactions between chromatin-linked protein complexes and transcription factors via its conserved LXLLL motif. We present evidence that the C-terminal PHD finger of ASXL protein has certain peculiar structural modifications that might allow it to recognize internal modified lysines other than those from the N terminus of histone H3, making it the mediator of previously unexpected interactions in chromatin.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Aravind
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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Yaish MW, Colasanti J, Rothstein SJ. The role of epigenetic processes in controlling flowering time in plants exposed to stress. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2011; 62:3727-35. [PMID: 21633082 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/err177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Plants interact with their environment by modifying gene expression patterns. One mechanism for this interaction involves epigenetic modifications that affect a number of aspects of plant growth and development. Thus, the epigenome is highly dynamic in response to environmental cues and developmental changes. Flowering is controlled by a set of genes that are affected by environmental conditions through an alteration in their expression pattern. This ensures the production of flowers even when plants are growing under adverse conditions, and thereby enhances transgenerational seed production. In this review recent findings on the epigenetic changes associated with flowering in Arabidopsis thaliana grown under abiotic stress conditions such as cold, drought, and high salinity are discussed. These epigenetic modifications include DNA methylation, histone modifications, and the production of micro RNAs (miRNAs) that mediate epigenetic modifications. The roles played by the phytohormones abscisic acid (ABA) and auxin in chromatin remodelling are also discussed. It is shown that there is a crucial relationship between the epigenetic modifications associated with floral initiation and development and modifications associated with stress tolerance. This relationship is demonstrated by the common epigenetic pathways through which plants control both flowering and stress tolerance, and can be used to identify new epigenomic players.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmoud W Yaish
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.
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Zhang M, Kimatu JN, Xu K, Liu B. DNA cytosine methylation in plant development. J Genet Genomics 2010; 37:1-12. [PMID: 20171573 DOI: 10.1016/s1673-8527(09)60020-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2009] [Revised: 11/15/2009] [Accepted: 11/30/2009] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Cytosine bases of the nuclear genome in higher plants are often extensively methylated. Cytosine methylation has been implicated in the silencing of both transposable elements (TEs) and endogenous genes, and loss of methylation may have severe functional consequences. The recent methylation profiling of the entire Arabidopsis genome has provided novel insights into the extent and pattern of cytosine methylation and its relationships with gene activity. In addition, the fresh studies also revealed the more dynamic nature of this epigenetic modification across plant development than previously believed. Cytosine methylation of gene promoter regions usually inhibits transcription, but methylation in coding regions (gene-body methylation) does not generally affect gene expression. Active demethylation (though probably act synergistically with passive loss of methylation) of promoters by the 5-methyl cytosine DNA glycosylase or DEMETER (DME) is required for the uni-parental expression of imprinting genes in endosperm, which is essential for seed viability. The opinion that cytosine methylation is indispensible for normal plant development has been reinforced by using single or combinations of diverse loss-of-function mutants for DNA methyltransferases, DNA glycosylases, components involved in siRNA biogenesis and chromatin remodeling factors. Patterns of cytosine methylation in plants are usually faithfully maintained across organismal generations by the concerted action of epigenetic inheritance and progressive correction of strayed patterns. However, some variant methylation patterns may escape from being corrected and hence produce novel epialleles in the affected somatic cells. This, coupled with the unique property of plants to produce germline cells late during development, may enable the newly acquired epialleles to be inherited to future generations, which if visible to selection may contribute to adaptation and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meishan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of MOE and Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
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