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Ornelas-Ayala D, Cortés-Quiñones C, Arciniega-González JA, Garay-Arroyo A, García-Ponce B, R Alvarez-Buylla E, Sanchez MDLP. ULTRAPETALAs in action: Unraveling their role in root development. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 340:111975. [PMID: 38181854 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2024.111975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
The epigenetic complex Trithorax (TrxG) regulates gene transcription through post-translational histone modifications and is involved in a wide range of developmental processes. ULTRAPETALA1 (ULT1) is a SAND domain plant-exclusive TrxG protein that regulates the H3K4me3 active mark to counteract PcG repression. ULT1 has been identified to be involved in multiple tissue-specific processes. In the Arabidopsis root, ULT1 is required to maintain the stem cell niche, a role that is independent of the histone methyltransferase ATX1. Here we show the contribution of ULT2 in the maintenance of root stem cell niche. We also analyzed the gene expression in the ult1, ult2, and ult1ult2 mutants, evidencing three ways in which ULT1 and ULT2 regulate gene expression, one of them, where ULT1 or ULT2 regulate specific genes each, another where ULT1 and ULT2 act redundantly, as well as a regulation that requires of ULT1 and ULT2 together, supporting a coregulation, never reported. Furthermore, we also evidenced the participation of ULT1 in transcriptional repression synergically with CLF, a key histone methyltransferase of PcG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Ornelas-Ayala
- Laboratorio de Genética Molecular, Epigenética, Desarrollo y Evolución de plantas, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 3er Circuito Ext. Junto a J. Botánico, Ciudad Universitaria. UNAM, México D.F. 04510, Mexico.
| | - Carlos Cortés-Quiñones
- Laboratorio de Genética Molecular, Epigenética, Desarrollo y Evolución de plantas, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 3er Circuito Ext. Junto a J. Botánico, Ciudad Universitaria. UNAM, México D.F. 04510, Mexico.
| | - J Arturo Arciniega-González
- Laboratorio de Genética Molecular, Epigenética, Desarrollo y Evolución de plantas, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 3er Circuito Ext. Junto a J. Botánico, Ciudad Universitaria. UNAM, México D.F. 04510, Mexico.
| | - Adriana Garay-Arroyo
- Laboratorio de Genética Molecular, Epigenética, Desarrollo y Evolución de plantas, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 3er Circuito Ext. Junto a J. Botánico, Ciudad Universitaria. UNAM, México D.F. 04510, Mexico.
| | - Berenice García-Ponce
- Laboratorio de Genética Molecular, Epigenética, Desarrollo y Evolución de plantas, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 3er Circuito Ext. Junto a J. Botánico, Ciudad Universitaria. UNAM, México D.F. 04510, Mexico.
| | - Elena R Alvarez-Buylla
- Laboratorio de Genética Molecular, Epigenética, Desarrollo y Evolución de plantas, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 3er Circuito Ext. Junto a J. Botánico, Ciudad Universitaria. UNAM, México D.F. 04510, Mexico.
| | - Maria De La Paz Sanchez
- Laboratorio de Genética Molecular, Epigenética, Desarrollo y Evolución de plantas, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 3er Circuito Ext. Junto a J. Botánico, Ciudad Universitaria. UNAM, México D.F. 04510, Mexico.
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Han Y, Kang C. The trithorax group factor ULTRAPETALA1 controls flower and leaf development in woodland strawberry. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 333:111729. [PMID: 37178733 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2023.111729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The trithorax group (TrxG) factors play a critical role in the regulation of gene transcription by modulating histone methylation. However, the biological functions of the TrxG components are poorly characterized in different plant species. In this work, we identified three allelic ethyl methane-sulfonate-induced mutants P7, R67 and M3 in the woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca. These mutants show an increased number of floral organs, a lower pollination rate, raised achenes on the surface of the receptacle and increased leaf complexity. The causative gene is FvH4_6g44900, which contains severe mutations leading to premature stop codons or alternative splicing in each mutant. This gene encodes a protein with high similarity to ULTRAPETALA1, a component of the TrxG complex, and is therefore named as FveULT1. Yeast-two-hybrid and split-luciferase assays revealed that FveULT1 can physically interact with the TrxG factor FveATX1 and the PcG repressive complex 2 (PRC2) accessory protein FveEMF1. Transcriptome analysis revealed that several MADS-box genes, FveLFY and FveUFO were significantly up-regulated in fveult1 flower buds. The leaf development genes FveKNOXs, FveLFYa and SIMPLE LEAF1 were strongly induced in fveult1 leaves, and their promoter regions showed increased H3K4me3 levels and decreased H3K27me3 levels in fveult1 compared to WT. Taken together, our results demonstrate that FveULT1 is important for flower, fruit and leaf development and highlight the potential regulatory functions of histone methylation in strawberry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yafan Han
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Horticultural Crops, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China; Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Chunying Kang
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Horticultural Crops, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China; Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430070, China.
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3
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Hagelthorn L, Monfared MM, Talo A, Harmon FG, Fletcher JC. Unique and overlapping functions for the transcriptional regulators KANADI1 and ULTRAPETALA1 in Arabidopsis gynoecium and stamen gene regulation. PLANT DIRECT 2023; 7:e496. [PMID: 37168319 PMCID: PMC10165739 DOI: 10.1002/pld3.496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Plants generate their reproductive organs, the stamens and the carpels, de novo within the flowers that form when the plant reaches maturity. The carpels comprise the female reproductive organ, the gynoecium, a complex organ that develops along several axes of polarity and is crucial for plant reproduction, fruit formation, and seed dispersal. The epigenetic trithorax group (trxG) protein ULTRAPETALA1 (ULT1) and the GARP domain transcription factor KANADI1 (KAN1) act cooperatively to regulate Arabidopsis thaliana gynoecium patterning along the apical-basal polarity axis; however, the molecular pathways through which this patterning activity is achieved remain to be explored. In this study, we used transcriptomics to identify genome-wide ULT1 and KAN1 target genes during reproductive development. We discovered 278 genes in developing flowers that are regulated by ULT1, KAN1, or both factors together. Genes involved in developmental and reproductive processes are overrepresented among ULT1 and/or KAN1 target genes, along with genes involved in biotic or abiotic stress responses. Consistent with their function in regulating gynoecium patterning, a number of the downstream target genes are expressed in the developing gynoecium, including a unique subset restricted to the stigmatic tissue. Further, we also uncovered a number of KAN1- and ULT1-induced genes that are transcribed predominantly or exclusively in developing stamens. These findings reveal a potential cooperative role for ULT1 and KAN1 in male as well as female reproductive development that can be investigated with future genetic and molecular experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynne Hagelthorn
- Plant Gene Expression CenterUnited States Department of Agriculture‐Agricultural Research ServiceAlbanyCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Plant and Microbial BiologyUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Mona M. Monfared
- Present address:
Department of Molecular and Cellular BiologyUniversity of California, DavisDavisCaliforniaUSA
| | - Anthony Talo
- Biology DepartmentSt. Mary's College of CaliforniaMoragaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Frank G. Harmon
- Plant Gene Expression CenterUnited States Department of Agriculture‐Agricultural Research ServiceAlbanyCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Plant and Microbial BiologyUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Jennifer C. Fletcher
- Plant Gene Expression CenterUnited States Department of Agriculture‐Agricultural Research ServiceAlbanyCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Plant and Microbial BiologyUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
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Nugroho ABD, Kim S, Lee SW, Kim DH. Transcriptomic and epigenomic analyses revealed that polycomb repressive complex 2 regulates not only developmental but also stress responsive metabolism in Brassica rapa. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1079218. [PMID: 36890886 PMCID: PMC9986605 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1079218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Polycomb group proteins (PcG) play a crucial role in developmental programs in eukaryotic organisms, including plants. PcG-mediated gene repression is achieved by epigenetic histone modification on target chromatins. Loss of PcG components leads to severe developmental defects. CURLY LEAF (CLF), a PcG component in Arabidopsis, catalyzes the trimethylation of histone H3 on lysine 27 (H3K27me3), a repressive histone mark in numerous genes in Arabidopsis. In this study, we isolated a single homolog of Arabidopsis CLF, namely, BrCLF, in Brassica rapa ssp. trilocularis. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that BrCLF participated in B. rapa developmental processes, such as seed dormancy, leaf and flower organ development, and floral transition. BrCLF was also involved in stress signaling and stress-responsive metabolism, such as aliphatic and indolic glucosinolate metabolism in B. rapa. Epigenome analysis showed that H3K27me3 was substantially enriched in genes related to these developmental and stress-responsive processes. Thus, this study provided a basis for elucidating the molecular mechanism of the PcG-mediated regulation of development and stress responses in B. rapa.
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D’Esposito D, Guadagno A, Amoroso CG, Cascone P, Cencetti G, Michelozzi M, Guerrieri E, Ercolano MR. Genomic and metabolic profiling of two tomato contrasting cultivars for tolerance to Tuta absoluta. PLANTA 2023; 257:47. [PMID: 36708391 PMCID: PMC9884263 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-023-04073-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Dissimilar patterns of variants affecting genes involved in response to herbivory, including those leading to difference in VOC production, were identified in tomato lines with contrasting response to Tuta absoluta. Tuta absoluta is one of the most destructive insect pest affecting tomato production, causing important yield losses both in open field and greenhouse. The selection of tolerant varieties to T. absoluta is one of the sustainable approaches to control this invasive leafminer. In this study, the genomic diversity of two tomato varieties, one tolerant and the other susceptible to T. absoluta infestation was explored, allowing us to identify chromosome regions with highly dissimilar pattern. Genes affected by potential functional variants were involved in several processes, including response to herbivory and secondary metabolism. A metabolic analysis for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was also performed, highlighting a difference in several classes of chemicals in the two genotypes. Taken together, these findings can aid tomato breeding programs aiming to develop tolerant plants to T. absoluta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela D’Esposito
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, NA Italy
| | - Anna Guadagno
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, NA Italy
| | - Ciro Gianmaria Amoroso
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, NA Italy
| | - Pasquale Cascone
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council of Italy, 80055 Portici, NA Italy
| | - Gabriele Cencetti
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council of Italy, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, FI Italy
| | - Marco Michelozzi
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council of Italy, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, FI Italy
| | - Emilio Guerrieri
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council of Italy, 80055 Portici, NA Italy
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Ornelas-Ayala D, Cortés-Quiñones C, Olvera-Herrera J, García-Ponce B, Garay-Arroyo A, Álvarez-Buylla ER, Sanchez MDLP. A Green Light to Switch on Genes: Revisiting Trithorax on Plants. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:75. [PMID: 36616203 PMCID: PMC9824250 DOI: 10.3390/plants12010075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The Trithorax Group (TrxG) is a highly conserved multiprotein activation complex, initially defined by its antagonistic activity with the PcG repressor complex. TrxG regulates transcriptional activation by the deposition of H3K4me3 and H3K36me3 marks. According to the function and evolutionary origin, several proteins have been defined as TrxG in plants; nevertheless, little is known about their interactions and if they can form TrxG complexes. Recent evidence suggests the existence of new TrxG components as well as new interactions of some TrxG complexes that may be acting in specific tissues in plants. In this review, we bring together the latest research on the topic, exploring the interactions and roles of TrxG proteins at different developmental stages, required for the fine-tuned transcriptional activation of genes at the right time and place. Shedding light on the molecular mechanism by which TrxG is recruited and regulates transcription.
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Gomez-Cano F, Chu YH, Cruz-Gomez M, Abdullah HM, Lee YS, Schnell DJ, Grotewold E. Exploring Camelina sativa lipid metabolism regulation by combining gene co-expression and DNA affinity purification analyses. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 110:589-606. [PMID: 35064997 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Camelina (Camelina sativa) is an annual oilseed plant that is gaining momentum as a biofuel cover crop. Understanding gene regulatory networks is essential to deciphering plant metabolic pathways, including lipid metabolism. Here, we take advantage of a growing collection of gene expression datasets to predict transcription factors (TFs) associated with the control of Camelina lipid metabolism. We identified approximately 350 TFs highly co-expressed with lipid-related genes (LRGs). These TFs are highly represented in the MYB, AP2/ERF, bZIP, and bHLH families, including a significant number of homologs of well-known Arabidopsis lipid and seed developmental regulators. After prioritizing the top 22 TFs for further validation, we identified DNA-binding sites and predicted target genes for 16 out of the 22 TFs tested using DNA affinity purification followed by sequencing (DAP-seq). Enrichment analyses of targets supported the co-expression prediction for most TF candidates, and the comparison to Arabidopsis revealed some common themes, but also aspects unique to Camelina. Within the top potential lipid regulators, we identified CsaMYB1, CsaABI3AVP1-2, CsaHB1, CsaNAC2, CsaMYB3, and CsaNAC1 as likely involved in the control of seed fatty acid elongation and CsaABI3AVP1-2 and CsabZIP1 as potential regulators of the synthesis and degradation of triacylglycerols (TAGs), respectively. Altogether, the integration of co-expression data and DNA-binding assays permitted us to generate a high-confidence and short list of Camelina TFs involved in the control of lipid metabolism during seed development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Gomez-Cano
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 212, Biochemistry Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824-6473, USA
| | - Yi-Hsuan Chu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 212, Biochemistry Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824-6473, USA
| | - Mariel Cruz-Gomez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 212, Biochemistry Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824-6473, USA
| | - Hesham M Abdullah
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, 612 Wilson Road, Room 166, East Lansing, MI, 48824-1312, USA
- Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, 11651, Egypt
| | - Yun Sun Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 212, Biochemistry Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824-6473, USA
| | - Danny J Schnell
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, 612 Wilson Road, Room 166, East Lansing, MI, 48824-1312, USA
| | - Erich Grotewold
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 212, Biochemistry Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824-6473, USA
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Ornelas-Ayala D, Garay-Arroyo A, García-Ponce B, R. Álvarez-Buylla E, Sanchez MDLP. The Epigenetic Faces of ULTRAPETALA1. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:637244. [PMID: 33719312 PMCID: PMC7947857 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.637244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
ULTRAPETALA1 (ULT1) is a versatile plant-exclusive protein, initially described as a trithorax group (TrxG) factor that regulates transcriptional activation and counteracts polycomb group (PcG) repressor function. As part of TrxG, ULT1 interacts with ARABIDOPSIS TRITHORAX1 (ATX1) to regulate H3K4me3 activation mark deposition. However, our recent studies indicate that ULT1 can also act independently of ATX1. Moreover, the ULT1 ability to interact with transcription factors (TFs) and PcG proteins indicates that it is a versatile protein with other roles. Therefore, in this work we revised recent information about the function of Arabidopsis ULT1 to understand the roles of ULT1 in plant development. Furthermore, we discuss the molecular mechanisms of ULT1, highlighting its epigenetic role, in which ULT1 seems to have characteristics of an epigenetic molecular switch that regulates repression and activation processes via TrxG and PcG complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Ornelas-Ayala
- Laboratorio de Genética Molecular, Epigenética, Desarrollo y Evolución de Plantas, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 3er Circuito Ext. Junto a J. Botánico, Ciudad Universitaria, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Adriana Garay-Arroyo
- Laboratorio de Genética Molecular, Epigenética, Desarrollo y Evolución de Plantas, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 3er Circuito Ext. Junto a J. Botánico, Ciudad Universitaria, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico
- Centro de Ciencias de la Complejidad (C3), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Berenice García-Ponce
- Laboratorio de Genética Molecular, Epigenética, Desarrollo y Evolución de Plantas, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 3er Circuito Ext. Junto a J. Botánico, Ciudad Universitaria, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Elena R. Álvarez-Buylla
- Laboratorio de Genética Molecular, Epigenética, Desarrollo y Evolución de Plantas, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 3er Circuito Ext. Junto a J. Botánico, Ciudad Universitaria, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico
- Centro de Ciencias de la Complejidad (C3), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - María de la Paz Sanchez
- Laboratorio de Genética Molecular, Epigenética, Desarrollo y Evolución de Plantas, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 3er Circuito Ext. Junto a J. Botánico, Ciudad Universitaria, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico
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The complexity of PRC2 catalysts CLF and SWN in plants. Biochem Soc Trans 2020; 48:2779-2789. [PMID: 33170267 DOI: 10.1042/bst20200660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) is an evolutionally conserved multisubunit complex essential for the development of eukaryotes. In Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis), CURLY LEAF (CLF) and SWINGER (SWN) are PRC2 catalytic subunits that repress gene expression through trimethylating histone H3 at lysine 27 (H3K27me3). CLF and SWN function to safeguard the appropriate expression of key developmental regulators throughout the plant life cycle. Recent researches have advanced our knowledge of the biological roles and the regulation of the activity of CLF and SWN. In this review, we summarize these recent findings and highlight the redundant and differential roles of CLF and SWN in plant development. Further, we discuss the molecular mechanisms underlying CLF and SWN recruitment to specific genomic loci, as well as their interplays with Trithorax-group (TrxG) proteins in plants.
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Mateo de Arias M, Gao L, Sherwood DA, Dwivedi KK, Price BJ, Jamison M, Kowallis BM, Carman JG. Whether Gametophytes are Reduced or Unreduced in Angiosperms Might Be Determined Metabolically. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11121449. [PMID: 33276690 PMCID: PMC7761559 DOI: 10.3390/genes11121449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In angiosperms, meiotic failure coupled with the formation of genetically unreduced gametophytes in ovules (apomeiosis) constitute major components of gametophytic apomixis. These aberrant developmental events are generally thought to be caused by mutation. However, efforts to locate the responsible mutations have failed. Herein, we tested a fundamentally different hypothesis: apomeiosis is a polyphenism of meiosis, with meiosis and apomeiosis being maintained by different states of metabolic homeostasis. Microarray analyses of ovules and pistils were used to differentiate meiotic from apomeiotic processes in Boechera (Brassicaceae). Genes associated with translation, cell division, epigenetic silencing, flowering, and meiosis characterized sexual Boechera (meiotic). In contrast, genes associated with stress responses, abscisic acid signaling, reactive oxygen species production, and stress attenuation mechanisms characterized apomictic Boechera (apomeiotic). We next tested whether these metabolic differences regulate reproductive mode. Apomeiosis switched to meiosis when premeiotic ovules of apomicts were cultured on media that increased oxidative stress. These treatments included drought, starvation, and H2O2 applications. In contrast, meiosis switched to apomeiosis when premeiotic pistils of sexual plants were cultured on media that relieved oxidative stress. These treatments included antioxidants, glucose, abscisic acid, fluridone, and 5-azacytidine. High-frequency apomeiosis was initiated in all sexual species tested: Brassicaceae, Boechera stricta, Boechera exilis, and Arabidopsis thaliana; Fabaceae, Vigna unguiculata; Asteraceae, Antennaria dioica. Unreduced gametophytes formed from ameiotic female and male sporocytes, first division restitution dyads, and nucellar cells. These results are consistent with modes of reproduction and types of apomixis, in natural apomicts, being regulated metabolically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayelyn Mateo de Arias
- Plants, Soils, and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-4820, USA; (M.M.d.A.); (L.G.); (D.A.S.); (B.J.P.)
- Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo, 10103 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
| | - Lei Gao
- Plants, Soils, and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-4820, USA; (M.M.d.A.); (L.G.); (D.A.S.); (B.J.P.)
- College of Pharmacy and Life Science, Jiujiang University, Jiujiang 332000, China
| | - David A. Sherwood
- Plants, Soils, and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-4820, USA; (M.M.d.A.); (L.G.); (D.A.S.); (B.J.P.)
- Sherwood Pet Health, Logan, UT 84321, USA
| | - Krishna K. Dwivedi
- Caisson Laboratories, Inc., Smithfield, UT 84335, USA; (K.K.D.); (M.J.); (B.M.K.)
- Crop Improvement Division, Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, 284003 Jhansi, India
| | - Bo J. Price
- Plants, Soils, and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-4820, USA; (M.M.d.A.); (L.G.); (D.A.S.); (B.J.P.)
- Molecular Biology Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-5750, USA
| | - Michelle Jamison
- Caisson Laboratories, Inc., Smithfield, UT 84335, USA; (K.K.D.); (M.J.); (B.M.K.)
- Wescor, Inc. An Elitech Company, Logan, UT 84321, USA
| | - Becky M. Kowallis
- Caisson Laboratories, Inc., Smithfield, UT 84335, USA; (K.K.D.); (M.J.); (B.M.K.)
- Cytiva, Inc., Logan, UT 84321, USA
| | - John G. Carman
- Plants, Soils, and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-4820, USA; (M.M.d.A.); (L.G.); (D.A.S.); (B.J.P.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-435-512-4913
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