VAL1 as an assembly platform co-ordinating co-transcriptional repression and chromatin regulation at Arabidopsis FLC

Polycomb (PcG) silencing is crucial for development across eukaryotes, but how PcG targets are regulated is still incompletely understood. The slow timescale of cold-induced PcG silencing at Arabidopsis thaliana FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) makes it an excellent system to dissect this mechanism. Binding of the DNA binding protein VAL1 to an FLC intronic RY motif within the PcG nucleation region is an early step in the silencing process. VAL1 interacts with APOPTOSIS AND SPLICING ASSOCIATED PROTEIN (ASAP) complex and POLYCOMB REPRESSIVE COMPLEX 1 (PRC1). Here, we show that ASAP and PRC1 function as co-repressors that quantitatively regulate FLC transcription. Upon the shift to cold PRC1-mediated H2Aub accumulates only at the nucleation region, is transiently maintained after transfer back to warm, but unlike the PRC2-delivered H3K27me3 does not spread across the locus. H2K27me3 thus provides long-term epigenetic silencing, whereas H2Aub is a transient repression signal. Overall, our work highlights how a DNA sequence-specific binding protein can act as an assembly platform co-ordinating the co-transcriptional repression and chromatin regulation necessary for Polycomb silencing.

Regulation of catalase level in Escherichia coli K12

The synthesis of catalase (H2O2:H2O2 oxidoreductase, EC 1.11.1.6) in Escherichia coli K12 was regulated by repression–induction and catabolite repression. Transient repression by glucose was also demonstrated. Under certain conditions, preferential synthesis was observed. Enzyme synthesis was induced in glycerol-grown cells by 0.15 to 0.2 μmol H2O2 (5–6 μg) per millilitre of culture, added at 10 to 15-min intervals, which were shortened progressively as the level of catalase in the cells rose. Catabolite repression of catalase synthesis was demonstrated with glucose, glycerol, maltose, lactose, xylose, mannitol, sorbitol, and trehalose, and to a lesser extent with arabinose, galactose, sucrose, rhamnose, and dulcitol as sole carbon sources in mineral medium. Catabolite repression was prevented by anaerobic growth and nitrogen starvation. All TCA-cycle intermediates examined afforded high catalase levels when serving as sole carbon sources. High catalase levels were also obtained when cells were grown on nutrient broth, nutrient agar, casitone, and peptone.