ZmELP1, an Elongator complex subunit linking histone acetylation and RNA PolII phosphorylation to promote transcriptional elongation, is required for kernel development in maize

Genome-wide analyses indicated that ZmELP1 facilitated transcriptional elongation through modulating deposition of lysine (K) 14 of histone H3 acetylation (H3K14ac) to promote the occupancy of phosphorylated RNAPIIs C-terminal domain on Ser2 (Ser2P). We further showed that ZmELP1-mediated genomic occupancy of Ser2P was necessary for transcriptional elongation and in turn affected the deposition of H3K14ac. In addition, we elucidated the mutually promoting relationship between H3K14ac and transcriptional elongation in maize which discovered thus filled an important gap in the mechanistic relationship between histone acetylation and transcription in plants.