Project description:Background: There is a growing interest in the role of chromatin in acquiring and maintaining cell identity. Despite the ever growing availability of genome-wide gene expression data, understanding how transcription programs are established and regulated to define cell identity remains a puzzle. An important mechanism of gene regulation is the binding of transcription factors to specific DNA sequence motifs across the genome. However, these sequences are hindered by the packaging of DNA to chromatin. Thus the accessibility of these loci for TF binding is highly regulated and determines where and when TF bind. We present a workflow for measuring chromatin accessibility in Arabidopsis thaliana, and define organ-specific regulatory sites and binding motifs of transcription factors at these sites. Results: We coupled the recently described INTACT (Isolation of Nuclei TAgged in specific Cell Types) and ATAC-seq (Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin with highthroughput sequencing) as a genome-wide strategy to uncover accessible regulatory sites in Arabidopsis, based on their accessibility to nuclease digestion. By applying this pipeline in Arabidopsis roots, we revealed 41,419 accessible sites, of which approximately half are found in gene promoters and contain the H3K4me3 active histone mark. The root-unique accessible sites from this group are enriched for root processes. Interestingly, most of the root-unique accessible sites are found in nongenic regions, but are correlated with root-specific expression of distant genes. Importantly these gene-distant sites are enriched for binding motifs of TFs important for root development, as well as motifs for TFs that may play a role as novel transcriptional regulators in roots, suggesting that these accessible loci are functional novel genedistant regulatory elements. Conclusion: By coupling the INTACT with ATAC-seq methods, we present a feasible pipeline to profile accessible chromatin in plants. We also introduce a rapid measure of the experiment quality. We find that chromatin accessibility at promoter regions is strongly associated with transcription and active histone marks. However, root specific chromatin accessibility is primarily found at intergenic regions, suggesting their predominance in defining organ identity, possibly via long-range chromatin interactions. This workflow can be rapidly applied to study the regulatory landscape in other cell types, plant species and conditions.

Project description:Muraro2014 - Vascular patterning in Arabidopsis roots Using a multicellular model, maintanence of vascular patterning in Arabidopsis roots has been studied. The model that is provided here is the single-cell version of the model. The two-cell and multicellular models described in the paper can be downloaded as python scripts (follow the curation tab to get these files). This model is described in the article: Integration of hormonal signaling networks and mobile microRNAs is required for vascular patterning in Arabidopsis roots. Muraro D, Mellor N, Pound MP, Help H, Lucas M, Chopard J, Byrne HM, Godin C, Hodgman TC, King JR, Pridmore TP, Helariutta Y, Bennett MJ, Bishopp A. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014 Jan 14;111(2):857-62. Abstract: As multicellular organisms grow, positional information is continually needed to regulate the pattern in which cells are arranged. In the Arabidopsis root, most cell types are organized in a radially symmetric pattern; however, a symmetry-breaking event generates bisymmetric auxin and cytokinin signaling domains in the stele. Bidirectional cross-talk between the stele and the surrounding tissues involving a mobile transcription factor, SHORT ROOT (SHR), and mobile microRNA species also determines vascular pattern, but it is currently unclear how these signals integrate. We use a multicellular model to determine a minimal set of components necessary for maintaining a stable vascular pattern. Simulations perturbing the signaling network show that, in addition to the mutually inhibitory interaction between auxin and cytokinin, signaling through SHR, microRNA165/6, and PHABULOSA is required to maintain a stable bisymmetric pattern. We have verified this prediction by observing loss of bisymmetry in shr mutants. The model reveals the importance of several features of the network, namely the mutual degradation of microRNA165/6 and PHABULOSA and the existence of an additional negative regulator of cytokinin signaling. These components form a plausible mechanism capable of patterning vascular tissues in the absence of positional inputs provided by the transport of hormones from the shoot. This model is hosted on BioModels Database and identified by: BIOMD0000000522 . To cite BioModels Database, please use: BioModels Database: An enhanced, curated and annotated resource for published quantitative kinetic models . To the extent possible under law, all copyright and related or neighbouring rights to this encoded model have been dedicated to the public domain worldwide. Please refer to CC0 Public Domain Dedication for more information.

Project description:Background: There is a growing interest in the role of chromatin in acquiring and maintaining cell identity. Despite the ever growing availability of genome-wide gene expression data, understanding how transcription programs are established and regulated to define cell identity remains a puzzle. An important mechanism of gene regulation is the binding of transcription factors to specific DNA sequence motifs across the genome. However, these sequences are hindered by the packaging of DNA to chromatin. Thus the accessibility of these loci for TF binding is highly regulated and determines where and when TF bind. We present a workflow for measuring chromatin accessibility in Arabidopsis thaliana, and define organ-specific regulatory sites and binding motifs of transcription factors at these sites. Results: We coupled the recently described INTACT (Isolation of Nuclei TAgged in specific Cell Types) and ATAC-seq (Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin with highthroughput sequencing) as a genome-wide strategy to uncover accessible regulatory sites in Arabidopsis, based on their accessibility to nuclease digestion. By applying this pipeline in Arabidopsis roots, we revealed 41,419 accessible sites, of which approximately half are found in gene promoters and contain the H3K4me3 active histone mark. The root-unique accessible sites from this group are enriched for root processes. Interestingly, most of the root-unique accessible sites are found in nongenic regions, but are correlated with root-specific expression of distant genes. Importantly these gene-distant sites are enriched for binding motifs of TFs important for root development, as well as motifs for TFs that may play a role as novel transcriptional regulators in roots, suggesting that these accessible loci are functional novel genedistant regulatory elements. Conclusion: By coupling the INTACT with ATAC-seq methods, we present a feasible pipeline to profile accessible chromatin in plants. We also introduce a rapid measure of the experiment quality. We find that chromatin accessibility at promoter regions is strongly associated with transcription and active histone marks. However, root specific chromatin accessibility is primarily found at intergenic regions, suggesting their predominance in defining organ identity, possibly via long-range chromatin interactions. This workflow can be rapidly applied to study the regulatory landscape in other cell types, plant species and conditions.

Dataset Information

Arabidopsis thaliana

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure