TY - JOUR
T1 - The SET-Domain Protein SUVR5 Mediates H3K9me2 Deposition and Silencing at Stimulus Response Genes in a DNA Methylation-Independent Manner
AU - Caro, Elena
AU - Stroud, Hume
AU - Greenberg, Maxim V.C.
AU - Bernatavichute, Yana V.
AU - Feng, Suhua
AU - Groth, Martin
AU - Vashisht, Ajay A.
AU - Wohlschlegel, James
AU - Jacobsen, Steve E.
PY - 2012/10
Y1 - 2012/10
N2 - In eukaryotic cells, environmental and developmental signals alter chromatin structure and modulate gene expression. Heterochromatin constitutes the transcriptionally inactive state of the genome and in plants and mammals is generally characterized by DNA methylation and histone modifications such as histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) methylation. In Arabidopsis thaliana, DNA methylation and H3K9 methylation are usually colocated and set up a mutually self-reinforcing and stable state. Here, in contrast, we found that SUVR5, a plant Su(var)3-9 homolog with a SET histone methyltransferase domain, mediates H3K9me2 deposition and regulates gene expression in a DNA methylation-independent manner. SUVR5 binds DNA through its zinc fingers and represses the expression of a subset of stimulus response genes. This represents a novel mechanism for plants to regulate their chromatin and transcriptional state, which may allow for the adaptability and modulation necessary to rapidly respond to extracellular cues.
AB - In eukaryotic cells, environmental and developmental signals alter chromatin structure and modulate gene expression. Heterochromatin constitutes the transcriptionally inactive state of the genome and in plants and mammals is generally characterized by DNA methylation and histone modifications such as histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) methylation. In Arabidopsis thaliana, DNA methylation and H3K9 methylation are usually colocated and set up a mutually self-reinforcing and stable state. Here, in contrast, we found that SUVR5, a plant Su(var)3-9 homolog with a SET histone methyltransferase domain, mediates H3K9me2 deposition and regulates gene expression in a DNA methylation-independent manner. SUVR5 binds DNA through its zinc fingers and represses the expression of a subset of stimulus response genes. This represents a novel mechanism for plants to regulate their chromatin and transcriptional state, which may allow for the adaptability and modulation necessary to rapidly respond to extracellular cues.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84868092710&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84868092710&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002995
DO - 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002995
M3 - Article
C2 - 23071452
AN - SCOPUS:84868092710
SN - 1553-7390
VL - 8
JO - PLoS genetics
JF - PLoS genetics
IS - 10
M1 - e1002995
ER -