FT modulates genome-wide DNA-binding of the bZIP transcription factor FD

Collani, Silvio; Neumann, Manuela; Yant, Levi; Schmid, Markus

Abstract

© 2019, American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved. The transition to flowering is a crucial step in the plant life cycle that is controlled by multiple endogenous and environmental cues, including hormones, sugars, temperature, and photoperiod. Permissive photoperiod induces the expression of FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) in the phloem companion cells of leaves. The FT protein then acts as a florigen that is transported to the shoot apical meristem, where it physically interacts with the Basic Leucine Zipper Domain transcription factor FD and 14-3-3 proteins. However, despite the importance of FD in promoting flowering, its direct transcriptional targets are largely unknown. Here, we combined chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing and RNA sequencing to identify targets of FD at the genome scale and assessed the contribution of FT to DNA binding. We further investigated the ability of FD to form protein complexes with FT and TERMINAL FLOWER1 through interaction with 14-3-3 proteins. Importantly, we observed direct binding of FD to targets involved in several aspects of plant development. These target genes were previously unknown to be directly related to the regulation of flowering time. Our results confirm FD as a central regulator of floral transition at the shoot meristem and provide evidence for crosstalk between the regulation of flowering and other signaling pathways, such as pathways involved in hormone signaling.

Citation

Collani, S., Neumann, M., Yant, L., & Schmid, M. (2019). FT modulates genome-wide DNA-binding of the bZIP transcription factor FD. Plant Physiology, 180(1), 367-380. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.18.01505

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 6, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Feb 15, 2019
• Publication Date: May 1, 2019
• Deposit Date: Feb 26, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 27, 2019
• Journal: Plant Physiology
• Print ISSN: 0032-0889
• Electronic ISSN: 1532-2548
• Publisher: American Society of Plant Biologists
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 180
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 367-380
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.18.01505
• Keywords: Plant Science; Genetics; Physiology
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1586910
• Contract Date: Feb 26, 2019