Transcriptional regulation by complex interplay between post-translational modifications

• Published in: Current opinion in plant biology 2016-10, Vol.33, p.126-132
• Main Authors: Skelly, Michael J, Frungillo, Lucas, Spoel, Steven H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Plants - genetics; Plants - metabolism; Protein Processing, Post-Translational; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism; Ubiquitination
• ISSN: 1369-5266; 1879-0356
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2016.07.004

•Ubiquitination of transcriptional regulators is an integral part of plant biology.•Ubiquitination occurs combinatorially with other PTMs in transcription regulators.•SUMOylation modulates ubiquitin-mediated transcription factor degradation.•S-nitrosylation cross talks directly and indirectly with ubiquitination. Transcriptional reprogramming in response to developmental changes or environmental inputs is regulated by a wide variety of transcription factors and cofactors. In plants, the stability of many transcriptional regulators is mediated by the ubiquitin-mediated proteasome. Recent reports suggest that additional post-translational modifications modulate the ubiquitination and thus stability of transcriptional regulators. In addition to well-recognized phosphorylative control, particularly conjugation to the ubiquitin-like protein SUMO as well as thiol modification by nitric oxide to yield S-nitrosothiols, are emerging as key regulatory steps for governing protein ubiquitination in the nucleus. Complex interplay between these different post-translational modifications may provide robust control mechanisms to fine tune developmental and stress-responsive transcriptional programs.