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Vernalization-triggered expression of the antisense transcript COOLAIR is mediated by CBF genes
Myeongjune Jeon1,2, Goowon Jeong1,2, Yupeng Yang3
1School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Elife
|February 1, 2023
Summary
Vernalization in Arabidopsis thaliana involves cold-induced silencing of FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC). This study reveals that C-repeat binding factors (CBFs) are essential for cold-mediated COOLAIR expression, but COOLAIR itself is not required for vernalization.
Area of Science:
- Plant Molecular Biology
- Epigenetics
- Flowering Time Regulation
Background:
- Vernalization, a process triggered by cold exposure, synchronizes plant flowering with spring.
- In Arabidopsis thaliana, vernalization involves epigenetic silencing of the FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) gene, a floral repressor.
- The cold-induced antisense RNA, COOLAIR, transcribed from the FLC locus, is hypothesized to aid FLC silencing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of C-repeat (CRT)/dehydration-responsive elements (DREs) and CRT/DRE-binding factors (CBFs) in cold-mediated COOLAIR expression.
- To determine if COOLAIR is essential for the vernalization response in Arabidopsis thaliana.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of CRT/DRE elements at the 3'-end of FLC and their interaction with CBFs.
- In vitro and in vivo binding assays for CBFs at the FLC locus.
- Quantitative analysis of COOLAIR expression in wild-type, cbfs mutants, and CBF-overexpressing Arabidopsis plants under varying temperatures.
- Assessment of the vernalization response in cbfs and FLC mutants.
Main Results:
- CBFs bind to CRT/DRE elements at the 3'-end of FLC, and their levels increase during vernalization.
- Cold-induced COOLAIR expression is significantly reduced in cbfs knockout mutants and elevated in CBF-overexpressing plants.
- COOLAIR is induced by CBFs during early vernalization but decreases as FLC chromatin becomes inactive.
- Arabidopsis mutants lacking CBF-mediated COOLAIR expression still exhibit a normal vernalization response.
Conclusions:
- CBFs are crucial for the cold-induced expression of COOLAIR by binding to the 3'-end of FLC.
- COOLAIR expression is transient and dependent on CBF activity during early vernalization.
- COOLAIR is not essential for mediating the vernalization response in Arabidopsis thaliana, despite its cold-induced regulation.
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