Co-condensation with photoexcited cryptochromes facilitates MAC3A to positively control hypocotyl growth in Arabidopsis

Sci Adv. 2023 Aug 9;9(32):eadh4048. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adh4048. Epub 2023 Aug 9.

Abstract

Cryptochromes (CRYs) are blue light receptors that mediate plant photoresponses through regulating gene expressions. We recently reported that Arabidopsis CRY2 could form light-elicited liquid condensates to control RNA methylation. However, whether CRY2 condensation is involved in other gene expression-regulatory processes remains unclear. Here, we show that MOS4-associated complex subunits 3A and 3B (MAC3A/3B) are CRY-interacting proteins and assembled into nuclear CRY condensates. mac3a3b double mutants exhibit hypersensitive photoinhibition of hypocotyl elongation, suggesting that MAC3A/3B positively control hypocotyl growth. We demonstrate the noncanonical activity of MAC3A as a DNA binding protein that modulates transcription. Genome-wide mapping of MAC3A-binding sites reveals that blue light enhances the association of MAC3A with its DNA targets, which requires CRYs. Further evidence indicates that MAC3A and ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5) occupy overlapping genomic regions and compete for the same targets. These results argue that photocondensation of CRYs fine-tunes light-responsive hypocotyl growth by balancing the opposed effects of HY5 and MAC3A.

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis Proteins* / genetics
  • Arabidopsis Proteins* / metabolism
  • Arabidopsis* / metabolism
  • Cryptochromes / metabolism
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
  • Hypocotyl / metabolism
  • Light
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases* / genetics
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases* / metabolism

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • Cryptochromes
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • PRP19A protein, Arabidopsis
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases