title: The VERNALIZATION 2 gene mediates the epigenetic regulation of vernalization in Arabidopsis.
abstract: The acceleration of flowering by a long period of low temperature, vernalization, is an adaptation that ensures plants overwinter before flowering. Vernalization induces a developmental state that is mitotically stable, suggesting that it may have an epigenetic basis. The VERNALIZATION2 (VRN2) gene mediates vernalization and encodes a nuclear-localized zinc finger protein with similarity to Polycomb group (PcG) proteins of plants and animals. In wild-type Arabidopsis, vernalization results in the stable reduction of the levels of the floral repressor FLC. In vrn2 mutants, FLC expression is downregulated normally in response to vernalization, but instead of remaining low, FLC mRNA levels increase when plants are returned to normal temperatures. VRN2 function therefore stably maintains FLC repression after a cold treatment, serving as a mechanism for the cellular memory of vernalization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Colney Lane, NR4 7UH, Norwich, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Gendall
authors.forename: Y Y
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dean
mesh_terms: D016960:Agrobacterium tumefaciens / Q000235:genetics; D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D018244:Chromosomes, Artificial, Yeast / Q000235:genetics; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003062:Codon / Q000235:genetics; D003360:Cosmids / Q000235:genetics; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I / Q000378:metabolism; D015723:Gene Library; D017343:Genes, Plant; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000235:genetics; D026161:MADS Domain Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D018749:RNA, Plant / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D012621:Seasons; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013696:Temperature; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D003062:Codon; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C418902:At5g10140 protein, Arabidopsis; D026161:MADS Domain Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018749:RNA, Plant; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C442836:VRN2 protein, Arabidopsis; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I