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. 2021 Apr 22;10(5):979. doi: 10.3390/cells10050979

Figure 1.

Figure 1

The roles and mechanisms of GCN5 in plant growth and development. In Arabidopsis, GCN5 plays different roles in the whole life cycle through different pathways. First, GCN5 interacts with ADA2b as a complex to regulate SPL3/SPL9 directly through histone acetylation to involve the juvenile-to-adult vegetative phase, which is independent of the pathway of miRNA156-SPLs action. Interestingly, GCN5 also regulates pri-miR156a expression positively. Then, a module made of GCN5, TAF1, and HD1 contributes to the photomorphogenesis and vegetative development of plants through delicate histone acetylation regulation, in which GCN5 and TAF1 function synergistically, and HD1 functions oppositely with them. HY5, the key photomorphogenesis factor is responsible for the recruitment of GCN5 and TAF1 in different ways. GCN5 interacts with HY5 genetically and functions in the same way in morphogenesis regulation. While TAF1 functions synergistically with HY5. RBCS-1A, CAB2, and IAA3 play different roles as target genes of histone acetyltransferase and histone deacetylase in this pathway. For root meristem development, GCN5, together with ADA2b, can increase transcripts of PLT1 and PLT2 by histone acetylation regulation to adjust the stem cells meristem, furthermore, ADA2b also functions independently of GCN5 to affect the stem cell niche maintenance. In rice, WOX11 can interact with ADA2b to recruit the GCN5 associated histone acetyltransferase complex and together regulate downstream PIN9, CSLF6, and other genes to facilitate the crown root meristem development. In trichome development, the GCN5-ADA2b complex regulates core genes GL1, GL2, and GL3 through histone acetylation modifications to mediate trichome initiation and branching. In the stem cuticular wax formation, GCN5 regulates the ECERIFERUM3 transcription by histone acetylation to influence cuticle membrane and wax biosynthesis. Considering the flowering, GCN5 and CLAVATA 1 regulate AG-WUS through direct histone acetylation modification to involve several floral organ developments synergistically, but the relationship between GCN5 and CLAVATA 1 is still unclear. However, it is unknown whether GCN5 affects seed development or germination associated traits. The images on the circle represent the different organs and developmental stages of Arabidopsis thaliana. GCN5 is indicated in the pink oval. The black arrows indicate active regulation, and the red bars indicate inhibition. The straight line represents the direct interaction, and the dashed line represents the indirect action. The histone acetylation modifications are represented with a graphic histone binding with the acetyl group (a red circle).