Understanding environmental responsiveness of plant epigenomes

The integration of environmental cues into gene regulatory networks (GRNs) is fundamental to plant adaptability and survival. Central to this cue-dependent integration is the epigenome, which comprises chemical modifications of chromatin - including DNA methylation and post-translational modifications (PTMs) of histones - along with chromatin accessibility, three-dimensional (3D) chromatin organization, and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). In response to environmental cues, the plant epigenome undergoes extensive reprogramming as an integral component of cue-induced transcriptional responses (Figure 1). This environmental responsiveness is essential for achieving spatiotemporally precise gene regulation, and elucidating its underlying mechanisms is critical for deciphering the molecular logic governing plant-environment interactions.

The Zander Lab focuses on transcription factors (TFs), which act as key architects of the environmentally responsive epigenome. TF binding to DNA is frequently triggered by cue perception through diverse molecular mechanisms. Once bound, TFs act as recruitment platforms for a wide array of chromatin regulators (CRs), including chromatin remodeling complexes as well as histone and DNA modifiers. Although the general framework of cue-induced, TF-mediated epigenome reprogramming is widely accepted, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood due to their immense complexity. This complexity stems from the large number of interacting components, including more than 1,500 TFs per plant species, hundreds of CRs, dozens of epigenome features, and the diversity of environmental cues and cell types.

To dissect this regulatory complexity, the Zander Lab employs a broad suite of genetic and genomic, but also proteomic approaches to address fundamental biological questions.

What is the exact function of environmentally responsive epigenome features?

How do TFs confer responsiveness to plant epigenomes, and how can these functions be manipulated?

How can we advance existing genomic tools and develop new approaches to enable robust multiomic analyses across a broad range of plant species?