Regulation of flowering time by the protein arginine methyltransferase AtPRMT10

EMBO Rep. 2007 Dec;8(12):1190-5. doi: 10.1038/sj.embor.7401111. Epub 2007 Nov 16.

Abstract

In plants, histone H3 lysine methyltransferases are important in gene silencing and developmental regulation; however, the roles of histone H4 methylation in plant development remain unclear. Recent studies found a type II histone arginine methyltransferase, AtPRTM5, which is involved in promoting growth and flowering. Here, we purified a dimerized plant-specific histone H4 methyltransferase, plant histone arginine methyltransferase 10 (PHRMT10), from cauliflower. Arabidopsis thaliana protein arginine methyltransferase 10 (AtPRMT10)--the Arabidopsis homologue of PHRMT10--was shown to be a type I PRMT, which preferentially asymmetrically methylated histone H4R3 in vitro. Genetic disruption of AtPRMT10 resulted in late flowering by upregulating FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) transcript levels. In addition, we show that AtPRMT10 functions genetically separate from AtPRMT5, but that each acts to fine-tune expression of FLC. This work adds an extra layer of complexity to flowering-time regulation and also sheds light on the importance of asymmetric arginine methylation in plant development.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / metabolism*
  • Brassica / enzymology
  • Brassica / genetics
  • Chromatography, Thin Layer
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Flowers / enzymology*
  • Flowers / genetics
  • Flowers / growth & development
  • Genetic Complementation Test
  • Histone Methyltransferases
  • Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase / genetics
  • Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase / metabolism
  • Methyltransferases / genetics
  • Methyltransferases / metabolism*
  • Mutation
  • Plant Proteins / genetics
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • Protein Methyltransferases
  • Protein-Arginine N-Methyltransferases / genetics
  • Protein-Arginine N-Methyltransferases / metabolism*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • Plant Proteins
  • Histone Methyltransferases
  • Methyltransferases
  • PRMT10 protein, Arabidopsis
  • Protein Methyltransferases
  • Protein-Arginine N-Methyltransferases
  • Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase