Bastow, R., Mylne, J. S., Lister, C., Lippman, Z., Martienssen, R. A., Dean, C.
(January 2004)
Vernalization requires epigenetic silencing of FLC by histone methylation.
Nature, 427 (6970).
pp. 164-7.
ISSN 1476-4687 (Electronic)0028-0836 (Linking)
Abstract
To ensure flowering in favourable conditions, many plants flower only after an extended period of cold, namely winter. In Arabidopsis, the acceleration of flowering by prolonged cold, a process called vernalization, involves downregulation of the protein FLC, which would otherwise prevent flowering. This lowered FLC expression is maintained through subsequent development by the activity of VERNALIZATION (VRN) genes. VRN1 encodes a DNA-binding protein whereas VRN2 encodes a homologue of one of the Polycomb group proteins, which maintain the silencing of genes during animal development. Here we show that vernalization causes changes in histone methylation in discrete domains within the FLC locus, increasing dimethylation of lysines 9 and 27 on histone H3. Such modifications identify silenced chromatin states in Drosophila and human cells. Dimethylation of H3 K27 was lost only in vrn2 mutants, but dimethylation of H3 K9 was absent from both vrn1 and vrn2, consistent with VRN1 functioning downstream of VRN2. The epigenetic memory of winter is thus mediated by a 'histone code' that specifies a silent chromatin state conserved between animals and plants.
| Item Type: |
Paper
|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Arabidopsis genetics growth & development
Arabidopsis Proteins genetics metabolism
Carrier Proteins chemistry genetics metabolism
Chromatin genetics metabolism
Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly
Cold Temperature
DNA-Binding Proteins genetics metabolism
Flowers genetics growth & development
Gene Expression Regulation Plant
Gene Silencing
Genes Plant genetics
Histones metabolism
MADS Domain Proteins genetics
Methylation
Mutation genetics
Nuclear Proteins chemistry genetics metabolism
Repressor Proteins
Seasons
Zinc Fingers |
| Subjects: |
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > epigenetics
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > epigenetics
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > genes, structure and function > gene silencing
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > genes, structure and function
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification > protein methylation > histone methylation
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification > protein methylation |
| CSHL Authors: |
|
| Communities: |
CSHL labs > Lippman lab
CSHL labs > Martienssen lab
School of Biological Sciences > Publications |
| Depositing User: |
Matt Covey
|
| Date: |
8 January 2004 |
| Date Deposited: |
04 Mar 2013 22:21 |
| Last Modified: |
19 Sep 2014 14:50 |
| Related URLs: |
|
| URI: |
https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/27690 |
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