Alterations of histone modifications at the senescence-associated gene HvS40 in barley during senescence

The barley gene HvS40, encoding a putative regulator of leaf senescence, is strongly induced during leaf senescence. As shown by chromatin immunoprecipitation, euchromatic histone modification H3K9ac is added at promoter close to ATG and coding sequence of HvS40 after onset of senescence. In parallel, level of heterochromatic H3K9me2 decreases at this gene. Bisulfite sequencing revealed no DNA-methylation in this region, but a heavily methylated DNA-island, starting 664 bp upstream from translational start site in both, mature and senescent leaves. A decrease in DNA methylation in senescing leaves could be shown at one specific CpG motif at the end of this methylation island. In addition, global changes in chromatin structure during senescence were analyzed via immunocytology, revealing senescence-associated changes in spatial distribution of heterochromatic H3K9me2 patterns in the nuclei. Our results prove a senescence-specific mechanism, altering histone modification marks at distinct sequences of the senescence-associated gene HvS40 and altering distribution of heterochromatic areas in the nuclei.