Molecular biology of chromatin

Chromatin is the functional form of DNA in a eukaryotic cell nucleus. In chromatin, DNA is packaged together with proteins and RNA. This packaging directly affects all nuclear processes such as gene expression and repair of DNA damage. We study the composition of chromatin, which proteins form or modify it and how chromatin states affect plant development and physiology.

Relevant publications

Shu H, Nakamura M, Siretskiy A, Borghi L, Moraes I, Wildhaber T, Gruissem W, Hennig L (2014) Arabidopsis replacement histone variant H3.3 occupies promoters of regulated genes. Genome Biolology 15: R62 (PUBMED)

Jarillo JA, Gaudin V, Hennig L, Kohler C, Pineiro M (2014) Plant chromatin warms up in Madrid: Meeting summary of the 3rd European Workshop on Plant Chromatin 2013, Madrid, Spain. Epigenetics 9, 644-652 (PUBMED)

Derkacheva, M., Hennig, L. (2014) Variations on a theme - Polycomb group proteins in plants. Journal of Experimental Botany 65, 2769-2784 (PUBMED)

Gentry, M., Hennig, L. (2014) Remodelling chromatin to shape development of plants. Experimental  Cell Research 321: 40-46 (PUBMED)

Derkacheva, M., Steinbach, Y., Wildhaber, T., Mozgová, I., Mahrez, W., Nanni, P., Bischof, S., Gruissem, W., Hennig, L. (2013) Arabidopsis MSI1 connects LHP1 to PRC2 complexes. EMBO Journal 32:2073-85 (PUBMED)

Shu, H., Gruissem, W., Hennig, L. (2013) Measuring Arabidopsis chromatin accessibility using DNase I-PCR and DNase I-chip assays. Plant Physiology 162:1794-801 (PUBMED)

Kradolfer, D., Hennig, L., Köhler, C. (2013) Increased Maternal Genome Dosage Bypasses the Requirement of the FIS Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 in Arabidopsis Seed Development. PLoS Genetics 9: e1003163 (MEDLINE)

Shu, H., Wildhaber, T., Siretskiy, A., Gruissem, W., Hennig, L. (2012) Distinct modes of DNA accessibility in plant chromatin. Nature Communications 3:1281 (MEDLINE)

Šimková, K., Moreau, F., Pawlak, P., Vriet, C., Baruah, A., Alexandre, C.M., Hennig, L., Apel, K., Laloi, C. (2012) The integration of stress-related and ROS-mediated signals by Topoisomerase VI in Arabidopsis thaliana. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 109, 16360-16365 (MEDLINE)

Houba-Hérin, N., Hennig, L., Köhler, C., Gaudin, V. (2012) A fruitful chromatin harvest: Meeting summary of the Second European Workshop on Plant Chromatin 2011 in Versailles, France. Epigenetics 7, 307-311 (MEDLINE )

Ohno, Y., Narangajavana, J., Yamamoto, A., Hattori, T., Kagaya, Y., Paszkowski, J., Gruissem, W., Hennig, L., Takeda, S. (2011) Ectopic gene expression and organogenesis in Arabidopsis mutants missing BRU1 required for genome maintenance. Genetics 189, 83-95 (MEDLINE )

Gutzat, R., Borghi, L., Fütterer, J., Bischof, S., Laizet, Y., Hennig, L., Feil, R., Lunn, J., Gruissem, W. (2011) RETINOBLASTOMA-RELATED PROTEIN controls the transition to autotrophic plant development. Development 138, 2977-2986 (MEDLINE )

Köhler, C., Hennig, L. (2010) Regulation of cell identity by plant Polycomb and trithorax group proteins. Current Opinions in Genetics and Development 20, 541-547 (MEDLINE )

Weinhofer, I., Hehenberger, E., Roszak, P., Hennig, L., Köhler, C. (2010) H3K27me3 profiling of the endosperm implies exclusion of Polycomb group protein targeting by DNA methylation. PLoS Genetics 6, e1001152 (MEDLINE ) (Open Access)

Borghi, L., Gutzat, R., Fütterer, J., Laizet, Y., Hennig, L., Guissem, W. (2010) Arabidopsis RETINOBLASTOMA-RELATED is required for stem cell maintenance, cell differentiation, and lateral organ production. Plant Cell 22, 1792-1811 (MEDLINE ) (Open Access )

Hennig, L., Derkacheva, M. (2009) Diversity of PcG complexes in plants: same rules, different players? Trends in Genetics 25, 414-423 (MEDLINE)

Erilova, A., Brownfield, L., Exner, V., Rosa, M., Twell, D., Mittelsten Scheid, O., Hennig, L., Köhler, C. (2009) Imprinting of the Polycomb Group gene MEDEA serves as a ploidy sensor in Arabidopsis. PLoS Genetics 5, e1000663 (MEDLINE) (Open Access)

Aichinger, E., Villar, C.B., Farrona, S., Reyes, J.C., Hennig, L., Köhler, C. (2009) CHD3 proteins and Polycomb group proteins antagonistically determine cell identity in Arabidopsis. PLoS Genetics 5, e1000605 (MEDLINE) (Open Access)

Exner, V., Aichinger, E., Shu, H., Wildhaber, T., Alfarano, P., Caflisch, A., Gruissem, W., Köhler, C., Hennig, L. (2009) The chromodomain of LIKE HETEROCHROMATIN PROTEIN 1 is essential for H3K27me3 binding and function during Arabidopsis development. PLoS One 4, e5335 (MEDLINE) (Open Access)

Alexandre, C., Möller-Steinbach, Y., Schönrock, N., Gruissem, W., Hennig, L. (2009) Arabidopsis MSI1 is required for negative regulation of the response to drought stress. Molecular Plant 2, 675 - 687 (MEDLINE)

Alexandre, C., Hennig, L. (2008) FLC or not FLC – the other side of vernalization. Journal of Experimental Botany 59, 1127-35 (MEDLINE)

Exner, V., Hennig, L. (2008) Chromatin rearrangements in development. Current Opinion in Plant Biology 11, 64-69 (MEDLINE)

Exner, V., Gruissem, W., Hennig, L. (2008) Control of trichome branching by Chromatin Assembly Factor-1. BMC Plant Biology 8, 54 (Open Access)

Alexandre, C., Hennig, L. (2007) FLC-independent vernalization responses. International Journal of Plant Developmental Biology 1, 202-211

Leroy, O., Hennig, L., Köhler, C. (2007) Polycomb group proteins function in the female gametophyte to determine seed development in plants. Development, 134, 3639-3648 (MEDLINE)

Hennig, L. (2007) Patterns of Beauty – Omics meets Plant Development. Trends in Plant Sciences 12, 287-293 (MEDLINE)

Exner, V., Taranto, P., Schonrock, N., Gruissem, W., and Hennig, L. (2006). Chromatin assembly factor CAF-1 is required for cellular differentiation during plant development. Development 133, 4163-4172 (MEDLINE)

Schönrock, N., Bouveret, R., Gruissem, W., and Hennig, L. (2006) Polycomb Group proteins repress the floral activator AGL19 in the FLC-independent vernalization pathway. Genes and Development 20, 1667-1678 (MEDLINE)

This work was featured in:

Dennis, E.S., Helliwell, C.A., and Peacock, W.J. (2006) Vernalization: spring into flowering. Developmental Cell 11,1-2 (MEDLINE)

Bouveret, R., Schönrock, N., Gruissem, W., and Hennig, L. (2006) Regulation of flowering time by Arabidopsis MSI1. Development 133, 1693-1702 (MEDLINE)

Schönrock, N., Exner, V., Gruissem, W., and Hennig, L. (2006) Functional genomic analysis of CAF-1 mutants in Arabidopsis thaliana. Journal of Biological Chemistry 281, 9560-9568 (MEDLINE)

Hennig, L., Bouveret, R., and Gruissem, W. (2005) MSI1-like proteins – An escort service for chromatin assembly and remodelling complexes. Trends in Cell Biology 15, 295-302 (MEDLINE)

Hennig, L., Gruissem, W., Grossniklaus, U., and Köhler, C. (2004) Transcriptional programs of reproduction. Plant Physiology 135, 1765-1775 (MEDLINE)

Hennig, L., Taranto, P., Walser, M., Schönrock, N., and Gruissem, W. (2003) Arabidopsis MSI1 is required for epigenetic maintenance of reproductive development. Development 130, 2555-2565 (MEDLINE) 

Köhler, C., Hennig, L., Spillane, C., Pien, S., Gruissem, W., and Grossniklaus, U. (2003) The Polycomb-group protein MEDEA regulates seed development by controlling expression of the MADS-box gene PHERES1. Genes & Development 17, 1540–1553 (MEDLINE) 

Köhler, C., Hennig, L., Bouveret, R., Gheyselinck, J., Grossniklaus, U., and Gruissem, W. (2003) Arabidopsis MSI1 is a component of the MEA/FIE Polycomb Group complex and required for seed development. EMBO Journal  22, 4804-4814 (MEDLINE) 

Reyes, J.C., Hennig, L. and Gruissem, W. (2002) Chromatin remodeling and memory factors—new regulators of plant development. Plant Physiology 130, 1090-1101 (MEDLINE)