MED25 connects enhancer-promoter looping and MYC2-dependent activation of jasmonate signalling

Nat Plants. 2019 Jun;5(6):616-625. doi: 10.1038/s41477-019-0441-9. Epub 2019 Jun 10.

Abstract

The lipid-derived hormone jasmonate (JA) regulates plant immunity and adaptive growth by triggering a genome-wide transcriptional programme. In Arabidopsis thaliana, JA-triggered transcriptional programming is largely orchestrated by the master transcription factor MYC2. The function of MYC2 is dependent on its physical interaction with the MED25 subunit of the Mediator transcriptional co-activator complex. Here we report the identification of JA enhancers (JAEs) through profiling the occupancy pattern of MYC2 and MED25. JA regulates the dynamic chromatin looping between JAEs and their promoters in a MED25-dependent manner, while MYC2 auto-regulates itself through JAEs. Interestingly, the JAE of the MYC2 locus (named ME2) positively regulates MYC2 expression during short-term JA responses but negatively regulates it during constant JA responses. We demonstrate that new gene editing tools open up new avenues to elucidate the in vivo function of enhancers. Our work provides a paradigm for functional study of plant enhancers in the regulation of specific physiological processes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis / genetics
  • Arabidopsis / metabolism*
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / metabolism*
  • Arsenate Reductases / metabolism
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Chromatin / metabolism
  • Cyclopentanes / metabolism*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Enhancer Elements, Genetic
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
  • Histones / metabolism
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism*
  • Oxylipins / metabolism*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Protein Binding
  • Signal Transduction*

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors
  • Chromatin
  • Cyclopentanes
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Histones
  • MYC2 protein, Arabidopsis
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Oxylipins
  • PFT1 protein, Arabidopsis
  • jasmonic acid
  • Arsenate Reductases
  • HAC1 protein, Arabidopsis