At least four genetic pathways regulate flowering time in Arabidopsis. The establishment and maintenance of gene expression patterns, in part through chromatin modification events, contributes to the coordination of complex genetic networks and thus to the control of flowering. The ATP-dependent chromatin remodelling complex SWR1C - which catalyses H2A replacement with the H2AZ variant - has been characterised in yeast and mammals, and recent studies have hinted that SWR1C homologues also exist in plants. Now Choi et al. () provide further evidence of this with their study of potential Arabidopsis SWR1C homologues, such as AtSWC6 and SUF3. They show that mutations in these genes generate similar phenotypes, such as extra petals and early flowering. Furthermore, these proteins form a complex and both AtSWC6 and SUF3 bind to the promoter of the floral repressor FLOWERING LOCUS C. Together, these findings show that an SWR1C-like complex is likely to exist in Arabidopsis that regulates diverse aspects of plant development, and not just flowering.
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