2016-08-012024-05-15https://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/662328Abstract: In eukaryotic cells, gene activity is controlled not only by DNA sequences but also by epigenetic marks that can be transmitted to a cell progeny during mitosis or meiosis. Epigenetic changes involve modifications of DNA activity by methylation, histone modifications or chromatin remodelling without alteration of the nucleotide sequence. Among the multiple epigenetic mechanisms that modify chromatin to regulate gene expression, histone modifications including acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation and ubiquitination play a major role. Histone methylation levels are determined by the action of histone methyltransferases and histone demethylases. Our studies indicate that the histone demethylases LDL1 and LDL2 are the essential players in gene regulation during plant development and plant response to environmental stress. In the proposed research, we will further investigate i) the molecular mechanisms of LDL1 and LDL2 involved in plant development and plant response to abiotic stresses, iii) interaction of LDL1 and LDL2 with transcription factors and other histone modification proteins, and iv) identification of interacting proteins and protein complexes of LDL1 and LDL2. Understanding how HDACs regulates gene expression will contribute to our understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying the roles played by histone modifications in plants. These studies will provide insights into the gene silencing, DNA methylation and other histone modification-associated gene regulation in plants.