The Molecular Mechanism of Chromatin Modification Cooperating with Ethylene Signaling to Regulate Plant Flowering Has Been Revealed
Published:09 Mar.2023    Source:BioArt

Flowering period transition is a sign that higher plants enter reproductive growth from vegetative growth. Ethylene, as an important gas hormone, participates in many physiological activities and growth and development processes of plants. It has been reported that ethylene treatment can delay flowering of plants, but the specific mechanism is still unknown.

 
Recently, the Research Group of Zhejiang University published a research paper online in Plant Physiology, entiled “ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE3/EIN3-LIKE1 modulate FLOWERING LOCUS C expression via histone demethylase interaction”, revealing the molecular mechanism that ethylene signal transcription factor EIN3/EIL1 regulates the transcription of the main flowering inhibitor FLC (FLOWERING LOCUS C) through the interaction with histone demethylase FLD (FLOWERING LOCUS D), thereby mediating the involvement of ethylene in the flowering transition of Arabidopsis.
 
The results of this study showed that under normal growth conditions, the expression of histone demethylase FLD in Arabidopsis thaliana maintained a high level. Through the interaction with EIN3/EIL1, the lower level of H3K4me2 at the FLC site was maintained, so as to inhibit the expression of FLC and its homologous genes and ensure the timely flowering of plants.