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PMID: 19816124 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Review

Promoting gene expression in plants by permissive histone lysine methylation.

Plant signaling & behavior ·Vol. 4 ·No. 6 ·2009-06-00 ·Pages 484-8

Cazzonelli CI, Millar T, Finnegan EJ, Pogson BJ

Abstract

Plants utilize sophisticated epigenetic regulatory mechanisms to coordinate changes in gene expression during development and in response to environmental stimuli. Epigenetics refers to the modification of DNA and chromatin associated proteins, which affect gene expression and cell function, without changing the DNA sequence. Such modifications are inherited through mitosis, and in rare instances through meiosis, although it can be reversible and thus regulatory. Epigenetic modifications are controlled by groups of proteins, such as the family of histone lysine methytransferases (HKMTs). The catalytic core known as the SET domain encodes HKMT activity and either promotes or represses gene expression. A large family of SET domain proteins is present in Arabidopsis where there is growing evidence that two classes of these genes are involved in promoting gene expression in a diverse range of developmental processes. This review will focus on the function of these two classes and the processes that they control, highlighting the huge potential this regulatory mechanism has in plants.

MeSH Terms
Arabidopsis/genetics,growth & development,metabolism Arabidopsis Proteins/genetics,metabolism Carotenoids/biosynthesis Chromatin/metabolism Epigenesis, Genetic Flowers/growth & development Gene Expression Regulation, Plant Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase/metabolism Histones/metabolism Lysine/metabolism Methylation Pollen/growth & development
Chemicals
Arabidopsis Proteins Chromatin Histones Carotenoids Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase Lysine
Authors & Affiliations
4 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Cazzonelli Christopher I
Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. christopher.cazzonelli@anu.edu.au
Millar Tony
Finnegan E Jean
Pogson Barry J
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Article Info
Journal
Plant signaling & behavior
Abbr.
Plant Signal Behav
ISSN
1559-2324
DOI
10.4161/psb.4.6.8316
Email
christopher.cazzonelli@anu.edu.au
Published
2009-06-00
Epub
2009-00-02
Pages
484-8
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
101291431
PMCID
PMC2688292
Subset
IM
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.4161/psb.4.6.8316 PMC Full Text View journal details
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