SlimVar for rapid in vivo single-molecule tracking of chromatin regulators in plants

Alex L. Payne-Dwyer, Geng-Jen Jang, Caroline Dean and Mark C. Leake ()
Additional contact information
Alex L. Payne-Dwyer: University of York
Geng-Jen Jang: Norwich Research Park
Caroline Dean: Norwich Research Park
Mark C. Leake: University of York

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-18

Abstract: Abstract Epigenetic regulation occurs over many rounds of cell division in higher organisms. However, visualisation of the regulators in vivo is limited by imaging dynamic molecules deep in tissue. We report a technology—Variable-angle Slimfield microscopy (SlimVar)—that enables tracking of single fluorescent reporters to 30 µm depth through multiple Arabidopsis thaliana root tip cell layers. SlimVar uses rapid photobleaching to resolve tracked particles to molecular steps in intensity. By modifying widefield microscopy to minimise optical aberrations and robustly post-process few-photon signals, SlimVar mitigates performance losses at depth. We use SlimVar to quantify chromatin-protein assemblies in nuclei, finding that two homologous proteins key to epigenetic switching at FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) —cold-induced VERNALISATION INSENSITIVE3 (VIN3) and constitutively expressed VERNALISATION 5 (VRN5)—exhibit dynamic assemblies during FLC silencing. Upon cold exposure, the number of assembly molecules increases up to 100% to a median of ~20 molecules. Larger VRN5 assemblies preferentially colocalise with an FLC lacO transgenic reporter during prolonged cold and persist after return to warmth. Our findings support a hybrid model of epigenetic memory in which nucleation of histone trimethylation is assisted by dynamic protein assemblies over extended durations. SlimVar offers molecular insights into proteins expressed at physiological levels in tissues.

Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-63108-8 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-63108-8

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-63108-8

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().