RESUMO
The understanding of neo-functionalization of plant transcription factors (TFs) after gene duplication has been extensively focused on changes in protein-protein interactions, the expression pattern of TFs, or the variation of cis-elements bound by TFs. Yet, the main molecular role of a TF, that is, its specific chromatin binding for the direct regulation of target gene expression, continues to be mostly overlooked. Here, we studied the TB1 clade of the TEOSINTE BRANCHED 1, CYCLOIDEA, PROLIFERATING CELL FACTORS (TCP) TF family within the grasses (Poaceae). We identified an Asp/Gly amino acid replacement within the TCP domain, originated within a paralog TIG1 clade exclusive for grasses. The heterologous expression of Zea mays TB1 and its two paralogs BAD1 and TIG1 in Arabidopsis mutant plants lacking the TB1 ortholog BRC1 revealed distinct functions in plant development. Notably, the Gly acquired in the TIG1 clade does not impair TF homodimerization and heterodimerization, while it modulates chromatin binding preferences. We found that in vivo TF recognition of target promoters depends on this Asp/Gly mutation and directly impacts downstream gene expression and subsequent plant development. These results provided new insights into how natural selection fine-tunes gene expression regulation after duplication of TFs to define plant architecture.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Arabidopsis , Arabidopsis , Fatores de Transcrição/metabolismo , Poaceae/genética , Poaceae/metabolismo , Proteínas de Plantas/metabolismo , Zea mays/metabolismo , Arabidopsis/genética , Arabidopsis/metabolismo , Cromatina/metabolismo , Regulação da Expressão Gênica de Plantas , Proteínas de Arabidopsis/metabolismoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: RNA-DNA hybrid (R-loop)-associated long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), including the Arabidopsis lncRNA AUXIN-REGULATED PROMOTER LOOP (APOLO), are emerging as important regulators of three-dimensional chromatin conformation and gene transcriptional activity. RESULTS: Here, we show that in addition to the PRC1-component LIKE HETEROCHROMATIN PROTEIN 1 (LHP1), APOLO interacts with the methylcytosine-binding protein VARIANT IN METHYLATION 1 (VIM1), a conserved homolog of the mammalian DNA methylation regulator UBIQUITIN-LIKE CONTAINING PHD AND RING FINGER DOMAINS 1 (UHRF1). The APOLO-VIM1-LHP1 complex directly regulates the transcription of the auxin biosynthesis gene YUCCA2 by dynamically determining DNA methylation and H3K27me3 deposition over its promoter during the plant thermomorphogenic response. Strikingly, we demonstrate that the lncRNA UHRF1 Protein Associated Transcript (UPAT), a direct interactor of UHRF1 in humans, can be recognized by VIM1 and LHP1 in plant cells, despite the lack of sequence homology between UPAT and APOLO. In addition, we show that increased levels of APOLO or UPAT hamper VIM1 and LHP1 binding to YUCCA2 promoter and globally alter the Arabidopsis transcriptome in a similar manner. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, our results uncover a new mechanism in which a plant lncRNA coordinates Polycomb action and DNA methylation through the interaction with VIM1, and indicates that evolutionary unrelated lncRNAs with potentially conserved structures may exert similar functions by interacting with homolog partners.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Arabidopsis , Arabidopsis , RNA Longo não Codificante , Arabidopsis/genética , Arabidopsis/metabolismo , Proteínas de Arabidopsis/genética , Proteínas de Arabidopsis/metabolismo , Proteínas Estimuladoras de Ligação a CCAAT/genética , Proteínas Estimuladoras de Ligação a CCAAT/metabolismo , DNA/metabolismo , Metilação de DNA , Histonas/metabolismo , Humanos , Ácidos Indolacéticos/metabolismo , Plantas/genética , RNA Longo não Codificante/genética , RNA Longo não Codificante/metabolismo , Ubiquitina-Proteína Ligases/genética , Ubiquitina-Proteína Ligases/metabolismoRESUMO
Plant long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as important regulators of chromatin dynamics, impacting on transcriptional programs leading to different developmental outputs. The lncRNA AUXIN-REGULATED PROMOTER LOOP (APOLO) directly recognizes multiple independent loci across the Arabidopsis genome and modulates their three-dimensional chromatin conformation, leading to transcriptional shifts. Here, we show that APOLO recognizes the locus encoding the root hair (RH) master regulator ROOT HAIR DEFECTIVE 6 (RHD6) and controls RHD6 transcriptional activity, leading to cold-enhanced RH elongation through the consequent activation of the transcription factor gene RHD6-like RSL4. Furthermore, we demonstrate that APOLO interacts with the transcription factor WRKY42 and modulates its binding to the RHD6 promoter. WRKY42 is required for the activation of RHD6 by low temperatures and WRKY42 deregulation impairs cold-induced RH expansion. Collectively, our results indicate that a novel ribonucleoprotein complex with APOLO and WRKY42 forms a regulatory hub to activate RHD6 by shaping its epigenetic environment and integrate signals governing RH growth and development.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Arabidopsis/metabolismo , Fatores de Transcrição Hélice-Alça-Hélice Básicos/metabolismo , Ácidos Indolacéticos/metabolismo , Raízes de Plantas/crescimento & desenvolvimento , RNA Longo não Codificante/metabolismo , Fatores de Transcrição/metabolismo , Arabidopsis/genética , Arabidopsis/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Arabidopsis/metabolismo , Proteínas de Arabidopsis/genética , Fatores de Transcrição Hélice-Alça-Hélice Básicos/genética , Proliferação de Células/fisiologia , Cromatina/metabolismo , Temperatura Baixa , Regulação da Expressão Gênica de Plantas , Desenvolvimento Vegetal/genética , Raízes de Plantas/metabolismo , Plantas Geneticamente Modificadas , Regiões Promotoras Genéticas , Fatores de Transcrição/genéticaRESUMO
The extraordinary maturation in high-throughput sequencing technologies has revealed the existence of a complex network of transcripts in eukaryotic organisms, including thousands of long noncoding (lnc) RNAs with little or no protein-coding capacity. Subsequent discoveries have shown that lncRNAs participate in a wide range of molecular processes, controlling gene expression and protein activity though direct interactions with proteins, DNA or other RNA molecules. Although significant advances have been achieved in the understanding of lncRNA biology in the animal kingdom, the functional characterization of plant lncRNAs is still in its infancy and remains a major challenge. In this review, we report emerging functional and mechanistic paradigms of plant lncRNAs and partner molecules, and discuss how cutting-edge technologies may help to identify and classify yet uncharacterized transcripts into functional groups.
Assuntos
RNA Longo não Codificante , Animais , Sequenciamento de Nucleotídeos em Larga Escala , Plantas/genética , RNA Longo não Codificante/genéticaRESUMO
The advent of novel high-throughput sequencing techniques has revealed that eukaryotic genomes are massively transcribed although only a small fraction of RNAs exhibits protein-coding capacity. In the last years, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as regulators of eukaryotic gene expression in a wide range of molecular mechanisms. Plant lncRNAs can be transcribed by alternative RNA polymerases, acting directly as long transcripts or can be processed into active small RNAs. Several lncRNAs have been recently shown to interact with chromatin, DNA or nuclear proteins to condition the epigenetic environment of target genes or modulate the activity of transcriptional complexes. In this review, we will summarize the recent discoveries about the actions of plant lncRNAs in the regulation of gene expression at the transcriptional level.