The Polycomb group protein CLF emerges as a specific tri-methylase of H3K27 regulating gene expression and development in Physcomitrella patens
Pereman I, Mosquna A, Katz A, Wiedemann G, Lang D, Decker EL, Tamada Y, Ishikawa T, Nishiyama T, Hasebe M, Reski R, Ohad N.
Biochim Biophys Acta. 2016;1859(7):860-70.
Biochim Biophys Acta. online article
The Polycomb group (PcG) chromatin remodeling complex controls gene expression by histone modifications. Using Physcomitrella patens as evolutionary early-diverged land plant we show specific loss of tri-methylation of H3K27 upon abolishment of PcG target genes. This leads to increased expression of transcription factor genes and formation of fertilization-independent sporophyte-like structures. We conclude that PcG plays a pivotal role in signaling and controls developmental programs which arose early in land plant evolution.
