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Updated: Oct 6, 2025

Investigating Interactions Between Histone Modifying Enzymes and Transcription Factors in vivo by Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer
Published on: October 14, 2022
Roles of Polycomb complexes in regulating gene expression and chromatin structure in plants
Fernando Baile1, Ángeles Gómez-Zambrano1, Myriam Calonje1
1Institute of Plant Biochemistry and Photosynthesis (IBVF-CSIC-US), Avenida Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Seville, Spain.
Abstract:
The evolutionary conserved Polycomb Group (PcG) repressive system comprises two central protein complexes, PcG repressive complex 1 (PRC1) and PRC2. These complexes, through the incorporation of histone modifications on chromatin, have an essential role in the normal development of eukaryotes. In recent years, a significant effort has been made to characterize these complexes in the different kingdoms, and despite there being remarkable functional and mechanistic conservation, some key molecular principles have diverged. In this review, we discuss current views on the function of plant PcG complexes. We compare the composition of PcG complexes between animals and plants, highlight the role of recently identified plant PcG accessory proteins, and discuss newly revealed roles of known PcG partners. We also examine the mechanisms by which the repression is achieved and how these complexes are recruited to target genes. Finally, we consider the possible role of some plant PcG proteins in mediating local and long-range chromatin interactions and, thus, shaping chromatin 3D architecture.
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