SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE (SVP) protein negatively regulates miR172 transcription via direct binding to the pri-miR172a promoter in Arabidopsis

Abstract

Plant microRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs that negatively regulate expression of their target genes. Although much is known about miRNA biogenesis and repression of target genes by miRNAs, the molecular mechanisms underlying the transcriptional regulation of miRNA itself are poorly understood. Here, we report that SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE (SVP) protein is a direct transcriptional regulator of miR172. The levels of mature miR172 and pri-miR172a were anti-correlated with SVP activity. miR172a has multiple transcription start sites, among which the transcript starting with cytosine (-671bp, relative to the mature miR172a) was a major species. EMSA and ChIP analysis demonstrated that SVP protein binds to the CArG motifs in the miR172a promoter. These results suggest that SVP protein directly regulates miR172 transcription in Arabidopsis.