The SET-domain protein SUVR5 mediates H3K9me2 deposition and silencing at stimulus response genes in a DNA methylation-independent manner

• Published in: PLoS genetics Vol. 8; no. 10; p. e1002995
• Main Authors: Caro, Elena, Stroud, Hume, Greenberg, Maxim V C, Bernatavichute, Yana V, Feng, Suhua, Groth, Martin, Vashisht, Ajay A, Wohlschlegel, James, Jacobsen, Steve E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 01.10.2012; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Arabidopsis - genetics; Arabidopsis - metabolism; Arabidopsis Proteins - chemistry; Arabidopsis Proteins - metabolism; Base Sequence; Binding Sites; Biology; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA Methylation; DNA-Binding Proteins - chemistry; DNA-Binding Proteins - metabolism; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Gene Silencing; Genetics; Histone Demethylases - metabolism; Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase - chemistry; Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase - metabolism; Histones - metabolism; Life Sciences; Methylation; Nucleotide Motifs; Physiological aspects; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Protein Binding; Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs; Proteins; Zinc Fingers; United States
• ISSN: 1553-7404; 1553-7390; 1553-7404
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002995

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.