Abstract
Nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) is a conserved heterotrimeric transcription factor complex that binds to the CCAAT motifs within the promoter region of many genes. In plants, a large number of genes code for variants of each NF-YA, B or C subunit that can assemble in a combinatorial fashion. Here, we report the discovery of an Arabidopsis NF-Y complex that exerts epigenetic control over flowering time by integrating environmental and developmental signals. We show that NF-Y interacts with CONSTANS in the photoperiod pathway and DELLAs in the gibberellin pathway, to directly regulate the transcription of SOC1, a major floral pathway integrator. This NF-Y complex binds to a unique cis-element within the SOC1 promoter to modulate trimethylated H3K27 levels, partly through a H3K27 demethylase REF6. Our findings establish NF-Y complexes as critical mediators of epigenetic marks that regulate the response to environmental or intrinsic signals in plants.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Amino Acid Motifs
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Arabidopsis / physiology*
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Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics
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Arabidopsis Proteins / metabolism*
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Base Sequence
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CCAAT-Binding Factor / metabolism*
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Chromatin Immunoprecipitation
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DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
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Epigenesis, Genetic*
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Flowers / physiology
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Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
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Gibberellins / metabolism
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Glutathione Transferase / metabolism
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Histones / metabolism*
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MADS Domain Proteins / genetics
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MADS Domain Proteins / metabolism*
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Methylation
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Photoperiod
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Plasmids / metabolism
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Promoter Regions, Genetic
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Protein Binding
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Signal Transduction
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Transcription Factors / metabolism
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Two-Hybrid System Techniques
Substances
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AGL20 protein, Arabidopsis
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Arabidopsis Proteins
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CCAAT-Binding Factor
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CONSTANS protein, Arabidopsis
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DNA-Binding Proteins
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GAI protein, Arabidopsis
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Gibberellins
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Histones
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MADS Domain Proteins
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REF6 protein, Arabidopsis
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Transcription Factors
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nuclear factor Y
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Glutathione Transferase