Regeneration is a fundamental process for reconstructing or developing new cells, tissues and organs. In Arabidopsis thaliana, an epigenetic modification factor, LYSINESPECIFIC DEMETHYLASE 1-LIKE 3 (LDL3) specifically eliminates H3K4me2 in the callus, a pluripotent cell mass derived from root cells. Through this process, LDL3 primes genes which are involved shoot formation for later activation in response to shoot induction. On the other hand, the molecular mechanisms by which LDL3 interacts with factors to recognize LDL3 target primed genes and regulate their expression are unknown.
In this study, we investigated dynamics of H3K4 methylation profiles throughout the regeneration process and cis element enrichment analysis on promoter regions of the LDL3 target primed genes to search for interacting factors with LDL3. H3K4 methylation modification analysis showed that during callus formation, the H3K4 methylation level of LDL3 target primed genes changed in a differentiation stage specific manner. Furthermore, the methylation levels of not only H3K4me2 but also H3K4me3 were reduced. Additionally, analysis of the promoter regions of the LDL3 target primed genes detected common motifs. These results suggest that H3K4me3 demethylases or DNA binding factors may work together with LDL3. Additional screens for novel interacting factors are currently underway.