Chloroplast retrograde signal regulates flowering.
Light is a major environmental factor regulating flowering time, thus ensuring reproductive success of higher plants. In contrast to our detailed understanding of light quality and photoperiod mechanisms involved, the molecular basis underlying high light-promoted flowering remains elusive. Here we show that, in Arabidopsis, a chloroplast-derived signal is critical for high light-regulated flowering mediated by the FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC). We also demonstrate that PTM, a PHD transcription factor involved in chloroplast retrograde signaling, perceives such a signal and mediates transcriptional repression of FLC through recruitment of FVE, a component of the histone deacetylase complex. Thus, our data suggest that chloroplasts function as essential sensors of high light to regulate flowering and adaptive responses by triggering nuclear transcriptional changes at the chromatin level.
Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;
Peiqiang
P
Feng
Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;
Hailong
H
Guo
Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China;
Wei
W
Chi
Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;
Xin
X
Chai
Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China;
Xuwu
X
Sun
Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China;
Xiumei
X
Xu
Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China;
Jinfang
J
Ma
Department of Molecular Biology, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Plant Biology, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland;
Jean-David
JD
Rochaix
Plant Molecular Biology (Botany), Department of Biology I, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, 82152 Martinsried, Germany;
Dario
D
Leister
National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
Haiyang
H
Wang
Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China;
Congming
C
Lu
Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; zhanglixin@ibcas.ac.cn.
Lixin
L
Zhang
D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects; D002736:Chloroplasts / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects; D035264:Flowers / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000528:radiation effects; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000528:radiation effects; D006655:Histone Deacetylases / Q000235:genetics; D008027:Light; D026161:MADS Domain Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D000075925:PHD Zinc Fingers / Q000235:genetics*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors
D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D002843:Chromatin; C418902:At5g10140 protein, Arabidopsis; D026161:MADS Domain Proteins; C116635:MSI4 protein, Arabidopsis; D014157:Transcription Factors; D006655:Histone Deacetylases
FLC; chloroplast retrograde signals; chromatin remodeling; flowering regulation; high light