Structural basis for the complex DNA binding behavior of the plant stem cell regulator WUSCHEL

Jeremy Sloan, Jana P. Hakenjos, Michael Gebert, Olga Ermakova, Andrea Gumiero, Gunter Stier, Klemens Wild, Irmgard Sinning () and Jan U. Lohmann ()
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Jeremy Sloan: Heidelberg University
Jana P. Hakenjos: Heidelberg University
Michael Gebert: Heidelberg University
Olga Ermakova: Heidelberg University
Andrea Gumiero: Heidelberg University
Gunter Stier: Heidelberg University
Klemens Wild: Heidelberg University
Irmgard Sinning: Heidelberg University
Jan U. Lohmann: Heidelberg University

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: Abstract Stem cells are one of the foundational evolutionary novelties that allowed the independent emergence of multicellularity in the plant and animal lineages. In plants, the homeodomain (HD) transcription factor WUSCHEL (WUS) is essential for the maintenance of stem cells in the shoot apical meristem. WUS has been reported to bind to diverse DNA motifs and to act as transcriptional activator and repressor. However, the mechanisms underlying this remarkable behavior have remained unclear. Here, we quantitatively delineate WUS binding to three divergent DNA motifs and resolve the relevant structural underpinnings. We show that WUS exhibits a strong binding preference for TGAA repeat sequences, while retaining the ability to weakly bind to TAAT elements. This behavior is attributable to the formation of dimers through interactions of specific residues in the HD that stabilize WUS DNA interaction. Our results provide a mechanistic basis for dissecting WUS dependent regulatory networks in plant stem cell control.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16024-y

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