A TALE homeodomain transcription factors-binding protein recruits Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 to a subset of loci in rice shoot apical meristem [ChIP-seq]

In this work, we investigated the function of PAP1 (LOC_Os03g01840) in gene expression, H3K27 tri-methylation, and Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) binding by high-throughput approaches. The PAP1 loss-of-function results in defects of meristem development and gene expression similar to those of PRC2 and/or KNOX gene mutants and decreases of H3K27me3 and PRC2 binding at KNOX-binding genes in the meristem. PAP1-meidated PRC2 recruitment may contribute to H3K27me3 shifting from heterochromatin silencing to developmental gene repression during land plant evolution. Examination of H3K27me3 modifications and EMF2b binding in wild type and pap1 mutant in rice.