SHORT REPORT The MADS-box transcription factor PHERES1 controls imprinting in the endosperm by binding to domesticated transposons Rita A Batista1,2, Jordi Moreno-Romero1,2†, Yichun Qiu1,2, Joram van Boven1,2, Juan Santos-Gonza´ lez1,2, Duarte D Figueiredo1,2‡, Claudia Ko¨ hler1,2* 1Department of Plant Biology, Uppsala BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden; 2Linnean Centre for Plant Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden Abstract MADS-box transcription factors (TFs) are ubiquitous in eukaryotic organisms and play major roles during plant development. Nevertheless, their function in seed development remains largely unknown. Here, we show that the imprinted Arabidopsis thaliana MADS-box TF PHERES1 (PHE1) is a master regulator of paternally expressed imprinted genes, as well as of non-imprinted key regulators of endosperm development. PHE1 binding sites show distinct epigenetic modifications on maternal and paternal alleles, correlating with parental-specific transcriptional *For correspondence: activity. Importantly, we show that the CArG-box-like DNA-binding motifs that are bound by PHE1
[email protected] have been distributed by RC/Helitron transposable elements. Our data provide an example of the Present address: †Centre for molecular domestication of these elements which, by distributing PHE1 binding sites throughout Research in Agricultural the genome, have facilitated the recruitment of crucial endosperm regulators into a single Genomics (CRAG), CSIC-IRTA- transcriptional network. UAB-UB, Campus UAB, Barcelona, Spain; ‡Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany Introduction MADS-box transcription factors (TFs) are present in most eukaryotes, and are classified into two Competing interests: The groups: type I or SRF (Serum Response Factor)-like, and type II or MEF2 (Myocyte Enhancing Fac- authors declare that no tor2)-like (Gramzow and Theissen, 2010).