Identifying the role of H3K9 demethylation in Arabidopsis meiosis

• Applicant: Privatdozent Hua Jiang, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Plant Genetics and Genomics
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 471130396

Faithful chromosome segregation in meiosis is essential for ploidy stability over sexual life cycles. Accurate segregation requires orderly chromosome pairing and recombination to hold homologous chromosomes together and undergo subsequent chromosome segregation in the first meiotic division. It is known that the deposition of histone H3 lysine 9 dimethylation (H3K9me2) is required to suppress pericentromeric recombination in Arabidopsis. However, the role of H3K9me2 removal from chromatin in Arabidopsis meiosis has not been determined. Our preliminary results showed that H3K9 demethylation is required for chromosome pairing and recombination in Arabidopsis meiosis. In addition, we found that multiple cohesin components, including the meiosis-specific component REC8, interact with the H3K9 demethylase IBM1. In this project, we will perform cytological and genetic analysis to identify the role of H3K9 demethylation in chromosome pairing and recombination. Moreover, we will utilize genetic analysis and transcriptome and epigenome profiling to identify the meiosis-essential genes targeted by H3K9 demethylation. Finally, we will determine the function of REC8 in recruiting H3K9 demethylases. The present project will provide a new role of H3K9 demethylation in Arabidopsis meiosis and elucidate the function of the cohesin component in recruiting H3K9 demethylase to warrant proper chromosome segregation.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants