Abstract
Plant responses to abiotic stresses are controlled by a complex tier of epigenetic, transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation. We have provided evidence that the DEAD-box RNA helicases, STRESS RESPONSE SUPPRESSOR (STRS) 1 and STRS2 are negative regulators of Arabidopsis thaliana stressresponsive transcription factors. Using GFP-STRS fusion proteins, we have demonstrated that the STRSs are localized to the nucleolus and chromocenters, and are rapidly removed to the nucleoplasm upon application of various abiotic stresses. The STRSs appear to act via RNA-directed DNA methylation to suppress Arabidopsis stress responses; this repressive epigenetic mechanism is abrogated by abiotic stress eventually leading to an open chromatin structure allowing expression of stress-responsive genes.
Original language | English |
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Article number | e977729 |
Pages (from-to) | e977729-e977734 |
Journal | Plant Signaling and Behavior |
Volume | 9 |
Issue number | 12 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 31 Dec 2014 |
Keywords
- Abiotic stress
- Arabidopsis thaliana
- DEAD-box RNA helicases
- Epigenetic gene silencing
- Nucleolus
- RNAdirected DNA methylation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Plant Science