SUMOylation on plant chromatin controls transcription switches between development and heat response [RNA-Seq]

ABSTRACT: SUMOylation, a post-translational protein modification, is dramatically upregulated and critically involved in heat stress response conservatively among species. Previous studies in Arabidopsis indicated that numerous chromatin associated proteins are SUMOylation substrates and most of heat-enhancing SUMOylation reactions occur in nucleus. However, the global functional connection between gene expression regulation and SUMOylation on chromatin is completely unknown in plant cells. Here we show a genome-wide relationship of chromatin-associated SUMOylation and transcription switches under room temperature, heat stress, and recovering conditions in Arabidopsis. The SUMO-associated chromatin sites, characterized via whole-genome ChIP-seq assays, are generally correlated with active chromatin markers. In response to heat stress, we found chromatin-associated SUMO signals increased at promoter-transcriptional start site regions and decreased in the gene bodies. Further RNA-seq analysis supported the role of chromatin-associated SUMOylation in activation of transcription during rapid responses to high temperature. Changing of SUMO signals on chromatin is correlated with upregulation of heat-responsive genes and downregulation of growth-related genes. Disruption of the SUMO ligase gene SIZ1 abolishes SUMO signals on chromatin and attenuates the rapid transcriptional responses to heat stress. Interestingly, the SUMO signal peaks are enriched in DNA elements recognized by distinguished groups of transcription factors under different temperature conditions. Collectively, our data provide evidence that SUMOylation on chromatin regulates transcription switches during development and heat stress response, improving our understanding on the precise roles of SUMOylation in plant cells.

ORGANISM(S): Arabidopsis thaliana

PROVIDER: GSE140506 | GEO | 2020/08/04

REPOSITORIES: GEO