Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Role of Plant Mediator Complex in Stress Response

  • Chapter
Elucidation of Abiotic Stress Signaling in Plants

Abstract

Class II gene loci of eukaryotes are transcribed by RNA Polymerase II, which functions in coordination with several other proteins like transcription factors, general transcription factors, and cofactors. Recently, Mediator complex, a multi-subunit, megadalton size protein complex has gained lots of attention as an important component of RNA pol II transcriptional machinery because of its essentiality in the regulation of most of the class II genes. Like yeast and other metazoans, plants also possess the Mediator complex across the kingdom, and its isolation and subunit analyses have been reported from the model plant, Arabidopsis. Recent times have experienced a flurry of scientific papers containing the functional information of individual Mediator subunits in plants, although many were reported earlier without consideration of their association with the Mediator complex. Among its diverse functional aspects, several reports have established the Mediator complex as an important integrative hub of different biotic and abiotic stress signaling pathways, which have been discussed in this chapter from the functional genomics perspectives. Although reports are emerging in support of its inclusion as a component of the basic transcriptional machinery, the gene selective roles of the individual Mediator subunits are proven and indisputably accepted.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Abbreviations

BR:

Brassinosteriod

ChIP:

Chromatin immunoprecipitation

JA:

Jasmonic acid

LC-MS/MS:

Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

MED:

Mediator

MudPIT:

Multidimensional protein identification technology

RNAP II:

RNA Polymerase II

SA:

Salicylic acid

TAP:

Tandem affinity purification

References

  • Akoulitchev S, Chuikov S, Reinberg D (2000) TFIIH is negatively regulated by cdk8-containing mediator complexes. Nature 407:102–106

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • An C, Mou Z (2013) The function of the mediator complex in plant immunity. Plant Signal Behav 8:e23182

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ansari SA, Morse RH (2012) Selective role of mediator tail module in the transcription of highly regulated genes in yeast. Transcription 3:110–114

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ansari SA, He Q, Morse RH (2009) Mediator complex association with constitutively transcribed genes in yeast. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 106:16734–16739

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ansari SA, Ganapathi M, Benschop JJ, Holstege FC, Wade JT, Morse RH (2012) Distinct role of mediator tail module in regulation of SAGA-dependent, TATA-containing genes in yeast. EMBO J 31:44–57

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Asturias FJ, Jiang YW, Myers LC, Gustafsson CM, Kornberg RD (1999) Conserved structures of mediator and RNA polymerase II holoenzyme. Science 283:985–987

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Autran D, Jonak C, Belcram K, Beemster GTS, Kronenberger J, Grandjean O, Inze D, Traas J (2002) Cell numbers and leaf development in Arabidopsis: a functional analysis of the STRUWWELPETER gene. EMBO J 21:6036–6049

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Backstrom S, Elfving N, Nilsson R, Wingsle G, Bjorklund S (2007) Purification of a plant mediator from Arabidopsis thaliana identifies PFT1 as the Med25 subunit. Mol Cell 26:717–729

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Baek HJ, Malik S, Qin J, Roeder RG (2002) Requirement of TRAP/mediator for both activator-independent and activator-dependent transcription in conjunction with TFIID-associated TAF(II)s. Mol Cell Biol 22:2842–2852

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Baek HJ, Kang YK, Roeder RG (2006) Human mediator enhances basal transcription by facilitating recruitment of transcription factor IIB during preinitiation complex assembly. J Biol Chem 281:15172–15181

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Baumli S, Hoeppner S, Cramer P (2005) A conserved mediator hinge revealed in the structure of the MED7.MED21 (Med7.Srb7) heterodimer. J Biol Chem 280:18171–18178

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Belakavadi M, Fondell JD (2010) Cyclin-dependent kinase 8 positively cooperates with mediator to promote thyroid hormone receptor-dependent transcriptional activation. Mol Cell Biol 30:2437–2448

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Boube M, Joulia L, Cribbs DL, Bourbon H-M (2002) Evidence for a mediator of RNA polymerase II transcriptional regulation conserved from yeast to man. Cell 110:143–151

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bourbon H-M (2008) Comparative genomics supports a deep evolutionary origin for the large, four-module transcriptional mediator complex. Nucleic Acids Res 36:3993–4008

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Boyce JM, Knight H, Deyholos M, Openshaw MR, Galbraith DW, Warren G, Knight MR (2003) The sfr6 mutant of Arabidopsis is defective in transcriptional activation via CBF/DREB1 and DREB2 and shows sensitivity to osmotic stress. Plant J 34:395–406

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cai G, Imasaki T, Yamada K, Cardelli F, Takagi Y, Asturias FJ (2010) Mediator head module structure and functional interactions. Nat Struct Mol Biol 17:273–279

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Canet JV, Dobon A, Tornero P (2012) Non-recognition-of-BTH4, an Arabidopsis mediator subunit homolog, is necessary for development and response to salicylic acid. Plant Cell 24:4220–4235

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cantin GT, Stevens JL, Berk AJ (2003) Activation domain-mediator interactions promote transcription preinitiation complex assembly on promoter DNA. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 100:12003–12008

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cerdan PD, Chory J (2003) Regulation of flowering time by light quality. Nature 423:881–885

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Çevik V, Kidd BN, Zhang P, Hill C, Kiddle S, Denby KJ, Holub EB, Cahill DM, Manners JM, Schenk PM et al (2012) MEDIATOR25 acts as an integrative hub for the regulation of jasmonate-responsive gene expression in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiol 160:541–555

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chadick JZ, Asturias FJ (2005) Structure of eukaryotic mediator complexes. Trends Biochem Sci 30:264–271

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chen R, Jiang H, Li L, Zhai Q, Qi L, Zhou W, Liu X, Li H, Zheng W, Sun J, Li C (2012) The Arabidopsis mediator subunit MED25 differentially regulates jasmonate and abscisic acid signaling through interacting with the MYC2 and ABI5 transcription factors. Plant Cell 24:2898–2916

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng B, Li T, Rahl PB, Adamson TE, Loudas NB, Guo J, Varzavand K, Cooper JJ, Hu X, Gnatt A et al (2012) Functional association of Gdown1 with RNA polymerase II poised on human genes. Mol Cell 45:38–50

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Conaway RC, Conaway JW (2011) Function and regulation of the mediator complex. Curr Opin Genet Dev 21:225–230

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Conaway RC, Conaway JW (2013) The mediator complex and transcription elongation. Biochim Biophys Acta 1829:69–75

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Conaway RC, Sato S, Tomomori-Sato C, Yao T, Conaway JW (2005) The mammalian mediator complex and its role in transcriptional regulation. Trends Biochem Sci 30:250–255

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dhawan R, Luo H, Foerster AM, Abuqamar S, Du H-N, Briggs SD, Mittelsten Scheid O, Mengiste T (2009) HISTONE MONOUBIQUITINATION1 interacts with a subunit of the mediator complex and regulates defense against necrotrophic fungal pathogens in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 21:1000–1019

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ding N, Zhou H, Esteve P-O, Chin HG, Kim S, Xu X, Joseph SM, Friez MJ, Schwartz CE, Pradhan S et al (2008) Mediator links epigenetic silencing of neuronal gene expression with x-linked mental retardation. Mol Cell 31:347–359

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dong X (2004) NPR1, all things considered. Curr Opin Plant Biol 7:547–552

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Donner AJ, Szostek S, Hoover JM, Espinosa JM (2007) CDK8 is a stimulus-specific positive coregulator of p53 target genes. Mol Cell 27:121–133

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Donner AJ, Ebmeier CC, Taatjes DJ, Espinosa JM (2010) CDK8 is a positive regulator of transcriptional elongation within the serum response network. Nat Struct Mol Biol 17:194–201

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dotson MR, Yuan CX, Roeder RG, Myers LC, Gustafsson CM, Jiang YW, Li Y, Kornberg RD, Asturias FJ (2000) Structural organization of yeast and mammalian Mediator complexes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 97:14307–14310

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Elfving N, Davoine C, Benlloch R, Blomberg J, Brannstrom K, Muller D, Nilsson A, Ulfstedt M, Ronne H, Wingsle G et al (2011) The Arabidopsis thaliana Med25 Mediator subunit integrates environmental cues to control plant development. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 108:8245–8250

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fondell JD, Ge H, Roeder RG (1996) Ligand induction of a transcriptionally active thyroid hormone receptor coactivator complex. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 93:8329–8333

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fukasawa R, Tsutsui T, Hirose Y, Tanaka A, Ohkuma Y (2012) Mediator CDK subunits are platforms for interactions with various chromatin regulatory complexes. J Biochem 152:241–249

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Galbraith MD, Allen MA, Bensard CL, Wang X, Schwinn MK, Qin B, Long HW, Daniels DL, Hahn WC, Dowell RD et al (2013) HIF1A employs CDK8-mediator to stimulate RNAPII elongation in response to hypoxia. Cell 153:1327–1339

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gillmor CS, Park MY, Smith MR, Pepitone R, Kerstetter RA, Poethig RS (2010) The MED12-MED13 module of mediator regulates the timing of embryo patterning in Arabidopsis. Development 137:113–122

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Guglielmi B, van Berkum NL, Klapholz B, Bijma T, Boube M, Boschiero C, Bourbon H-M, Holstege FCP, Werner M (2004) A high resolution protein interaction map of the yeast mediator complex. Nucleic Acids Res 32:5379–5391

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Holstege FC, Jennings EG, Wyrick JJ, Lee TI, Hengartner CJ, Green MR, Golub TR, Lander ES, Young RA (1998) Dissecting the regulatory circuitry of a eukaryotic genome. Cell 95:717–728

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hong Z, Jin H, Tzfira T, Li J (2008) Multiple mechanism-mediated retention of a defective brassinosteroid receptor in the endoplasmic reticulum of Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 20:3418–3429

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Huang Y, Li W, Yao X, Lin Q-J, Yin J-W, Liang Y, Heiner M, Tian B, Hui J, Wang G (2012) Mediator complex regulates alternative mRNA processing via the MED23 subunit. Mol Cell 45:459–469

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Imasaki T, Calero G, Cai G, Tsai K-L, Yamada K, Cardelli F, Erdjument-Bromage H, Tempst P, Berger I, Kornberg GL et al (2011) Architecture of the mediator head module. Nature 475:240–243

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Imura Y, Kobayashi Y, Yamamoto S, Furutani M, Tasaka M, Abe M, Araki T (2012) CRYPTIC PRECOCIOUS/MED12 is a novel flowering regulator with multiple target steps in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell Physiol 53:287–303

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Inigo S, Alvarez MJ, Strasser B, Califano A, Cerdan PD (2012a) PFT1, the MED25 subunit of the plant mediator complex, promotes flowering through CONSTANS dependent and independent mechanisms in Arabidopsis. Plant J 69:601–612

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Inigo S, Giraldez AN, Chory J, Cerdan PD (2012b) Proteasome-mediated turnover of Arabidopsis MED25 is coupled to the activation of FLOWERING LOCUS T transcription. Plant Physiol 160:1662–1673

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ito M, Roeder RG (2001) The TRAP/SMCC/mediator complex and thyroid hormone receptor function. Trends Endocrinol Metab 12:127–134

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ito M, Yuan CX, Malik S, Gu W, Fondell JD, Yamamura S, Fu ZY, Zhang X, Qin J, Roeder RG (1999) Identity between TRAP and SMCC complexes indicates novel pathways for the function of nuclear receptors and diverse mammalian activators. Mol Cell 3:361–370

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ito J, Sono T, Tasaka M, Furutani M (2011) MACCHI-BOU 2 is required for early embryo patterning and cotyledon organogenesis in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell Physiol 52:539–552

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jishage M, Malik S, Wagner U, Uberheide B, Ishihama Y, Hu X, Chait BT, Gnatt A, Ren B, Roeder RG (2012) Transcriptional regulation by Pol II(G) involving mediator and competitive interactions of Gdown1 and TFIIF with Pol II. Mol Cell 45:51–63

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson KM, Carey M (2003) Assembly of a mediator/TFIID/TFIIA complex bypasses the need for an activator. Curr Biol 13:772–777

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kagey MH, Newman JJ, Bilodeau S, Zhan Y, Orlando DA, van Berkum NL, Ebmeier CC, Goossens J, Rahl PB, Levine SS et al (2010) Mediator and cohesin connect gene expression and chromatin architecture. Nature 467:430–435

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kidd BN, Edgar CI, Kumar KK, Aitken EA, Schenk PM, Manners JM, Kazan K (2009) The mediator complex subunit PFT1 is a key regulator of jasmonate-dependent defense in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 21:2237–2252

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kidd BN, Cahill DM, Manners JM, Schenk PM, Kazan K (2011) Diverse roles of the mediator complex in plants. Semin Cell Dev Biol 22:741–748

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kim YJ, Bjorklund S, Li Y, Sayre MH, Kornberg RD (1994) A multiprotein mediator of transcriptional activation and its interaction with the C-terminal repeat domain of RNA polymerase II. Cell 77:599–608

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kim YJ, Zheng B, Yu Y, Won SY, Mo B, Chen X (2011) The role of mediator in small and long noncoding RNA production in Arabidopsis thaliana. EMBO J 30:814–822

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Knight H, Veale EL, Warren GJ, Knight MR (1999) The sfr6 mutation in Arabidopsis suppresses low-temperature induction of genes dependent on the CRT/DRE sequence motif. Plant Cell 11:875–886

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Knight H, Thomson AJW, McWatters HG (2008) Sensitive to freezing 6 integrates cellular and environmental inputs to the plant circadian clock. Plant Physiol 148:293–303

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Knight H, Mugford SG, Ulker B, Gao D, Thorlby G, Knight MR (2009) Identification of SFR6, a key component in cold acclimation acting post-translationally on CBF function. Plant J 58:97–108

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Knuesel MT, Meyer KD, Bernecky C, Taatjes DJ (2009a) The human CDK8 subcomplex is a molecular switch that controls Mediator coactivator function. Genes Dev 23:439–451

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Knuesel MT, Meyer KD, Donner AJ, Espinosa JM, Taatjes DJ (2009b) The human CDK8 subcomplex is a histone kinase that requires Med12 for activity and can function independently of Mediator. Mol Cell Biol 29:650–661

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kornberg RD (2005) Mediator and the mechanism of transcriptional activation. Trends Biochem Sci 30:235–239

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koschubs T, Seizl M, Lariviere L, Kurth F, Baumli S, Martin DE, Cramer P (2009) Identification, structure, and functional requirement of the Mediator submodule Med7N/31. EMBO J 28:69–80

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koschubs T, Lorenzen K, Baumli S, Sandstrom S, Heck AJR, Cramer P (2010) Preparation and topology of the mediator middle module. Nucleic Acids Res 38:3186–3195

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Krichevsky A, Zaltsman A, Kozlovsky SV, Tian G-W, Citovsky V (2009) Regulation of root elongation by histone acetylation in Arabidopsis. J Mol Biol 385:45–50

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lacombe T, Poh SL, Barbey R, Kuras L (2013) Mediator is an intrinsic component of the basal RNA polymerase II machinery in vivo. Nucleic Acids Res 41:9651–9662

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lai F, Orom UA, Cesaroni M, Beringer M, Taatjes DJ, Blobel GA, Shiekhattar R (2013) Activating RNAs associate with Mediator to enhance chromatin architecture and transcription. Nature 494:497–501

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lariviere L, Geiger S, Hoeppner S, Rother S, Strasser K, Cramer P (2006) Structure and TBP binding of the Mediator head subcomplex Med8-Med18-Med20. Nat Struct Mol Biol 13:895–901

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lariviere L, Seizl M, Cramer P (2012) A structural perspective on mediator function. Curr Opin Cell Biol 24:305–313

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leal A, Huehne K, Bauer F, Sticht H, Berger P, Suter U, Morera B, Del Valle G, Lupski JR, Ekici A et al (2009) Identification of the variant Ala335Val of MED25 as responsible for CMT2B2: molecular data, functional studies of the SH3 recognition motif and correlation between wild-type MED25 and PMP22 RNA levels in CMT1A animal models. Neurogenetics 10:275–287

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lee TI, Young RA (2000) Transcription of eukaryotic protein-coding genes. Annu Rev Genet 34:77–7137

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lee YC, Park JM, Min S, Han SJ, Kim YJ (1999) An activator binding module of yeast RNA polymerase II holoenzyme. Mol Cell Biol 19:2967–2976

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Li Y, Bjorklund S, Jiang YW, Kim YJ, Lane WS, Stillman DJ, Kornberg RD (1995) Yeast global transcriptional regulators Sin4 and Rgr1 are components of mediator complex/RNA polymerase II holoenzyme. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 92:10864–10868

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Liao SM, Zhang J, Jeffery DA, Koleske AJ, Thompson CM, Chao DM, Viljoen M, van Vuuren HJ, Young RA (1995) A kinase-cyclin pair in the RNA polymerase II holoenzyme. Nature 374:193–196

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Liu Z, Myers LC (2012) Med5(Nut1) and Med17(Srb4) are direct targets of mediator histone H4 tail interactions. PLoS One 7:e38416

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Loven J, Hoke HA, Lin CY, Lau A, Orlando DA, Vakoc CR, Bradner JE, Lee TI, Young RA (2013) Selective inhibition of tumor oncogenes by disruption of super-enhancers. Cell 153:320–334

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Malik S, Roeder RG (2005) The metazoan mediator co-activator complex as an integrative hub for transcriptional regulation. Nat Rev Genet 11:761–772

    Google Scholar 

  • Malik S, Barrero MJ, Jones T (2007) Identification of a regulator of transcription elongation as an accessory factor for the human Mediator coactivator. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 104:6182–6187

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mathur S, Vyas S, Kapoor S, Tyagi AK (2011) The Mediator complex in plants: structure, phylogeny, and expression profiling of representative genes in a dicot (Arabidopsis) and a monocot (rice) during reproduction and abiotic stress. Plant Physiol 157:1609–1627

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer KD, Lin SC, Bernecky C, Gao Y, Taatjes DJ (2010) p53 activates transcription by directing structural shifts in Mediator. Nat Struct Mol Biol 17:753–760

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mittler G, Kremmer E, Timmers HT, Meisterernst M (2001) Novel critical role of a human mediator complex for basal RNA polymerase II transcription. EMBO Rep 2:808–813

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mukundan B, Ansari A (2011) Novel role for mediator complex subunit Srb5/Med18 in termination of transcription. J Biol Chem 286:37053–37057

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mukundan B, Ansari A (2013) Srb5/Med18-mediated termination of transcription is dependent on gene looping. J Biol Chem 288:11384–11394

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Myers LC, Kornberg RD (2000) Mediator of transcriptional regulation. Annu Rev Biochem 69:729–749

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Myers LC, Gustafsson CM, Bushnell DA, Lui M, Erdjument-Bromage H, Tempst P, Kornberg RD (1998) The Med proteins of yeast and their function through the RNA polymerase II carboxy-terminal domain. Genes Dev 12:45–54

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Oya E, Kato H, Chikashige Y, Tsutsumi C, Hiraoka Y, Murakami Y (2013) Mediator directs Co-transcriptional heterochromatin assembly by RNA interference-dependent and -independent pathways. PLoS Genet 9:e1003677

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Park JM, Gim BS, Kim JM, Yoon JH, Kim HS, Kang JG, Kim YJ (2001) Drosophila Mediator complex is broadly utilized by diverse gene-specific transcription factors at different types of core promoters. Mol Cell Biol 21:2312–2323

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pasrija R, Thakur JK (2012) Analysis of differential expression of mediator subunit genes in Arabidopsis. Plant Signal Behav 7:1676–1686

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pasrija R, Thakur JK (2013) Tissue specific expression profile of mediator genes in Arabidopsis. Plant Signal Behav 8:e23983

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Peng J, Zhou J-Q (2012) The tail-module of yeast mediator complex is required for telomere heterochromatin maintenance. Nucleic Acids Res 40:581–593

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Riechmann JL, Ratcliffe OJ (2000) A genomic perspective on plant transcription factors. Curr Opin Plant Biol 3:423–434

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Riechmann JL, Heard J, Martin G, Reuber L, Jiang C, Keddie J, Adam L, Pineda O, Ratcliffe OJ, Samaha RR et al (2000) Arabidopsis transcription factors: genome-wide comparative analysis among eukaryotes. Science 290:2105–2110

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rienzo M, Nagel J, Casamassimi A, Giovane A, Dietzel S, Napoli C (2010) Mediator subunits: gene expression pattern, a novel transcript identification and nuclear localization in human endothelial progenitor cells. Biochim Biophys Acta 1799:487–495

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rienzo M, Casamassimi A, Schiano C, Grimaldi V, Infante T, Napoli C (2012) Distinct alternative splicing patterns of mediator subunit genes during endothelial progenitor cell differentiation. Biochimie 94:1828–1832

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Samuelsen CO, Baraznenok V, Khorosjutina O, Spahr H, Kieselbach T, Holmberg S, Gustafsson CM (2003) TRAP230/ARC240 and TRAP240/ARC250 mediator subunits are functionally conserved through evolution. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 100:6422–6427

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Seizl M, Lariviere L, Pfaffeneder T, Wenzeck L, Cramer P (2011) Mediator head subcomplex Med11/22 contains a common helix bundle building block with a specific function in transcription initiation complex stabilization. Nucleic Acids Res 39:6291–6304

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Soutourina J, Wydau S, Ambroise Y, Boschiero C, Werner M (2011) Direct interaction of RNA polymerase II and Mediator required for transcription in vivo. Science 331:1451–1454

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spahr H, Beve J, Larsson T, Bergstrom J, Karlsson KA, Gustafsson CM (2000) Purification and characterization of RNA polymerase II holoenzyme from Schizosaccharomyces pombe. J Biol Chem 275:1351–1356

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sundaravelpandian K, Chandrika NNP, Schmidt W (2013) PFT1, a transcriptional mediator complex subunit, controls root hair differentiation through reactive oxygen species (ROS) distribution in Arabidopsis. New Phytol 197:151–161

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Taatjes DJ (2010) The human mediator complex: a versatile, genome-wide regulator of transcription. Trends Biochem Sci 35:315–322

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Takagi Y, Calero G, Komori H, Brown JA, Ehrensberger AH, Hudmon A, Asturias F, Kornberg RD (2006) Head module control of mediator interactions. Mol Cell 23:355–364

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Takahashi H, Parmely TJ, Sato S, Tomomori-Sato C, Banks CAS, Kong SE, Szutorisz H, Swanson SK, Martin-Brown S, Washburn MP et al (2011) Human mediator subunit MED26 functions as a docking site for transcription elongation factors. Cell 146:92–9104

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thakur JK, Arthanari H, Yang F, Pan S-J, Fan X, Breger J, Frueh DP, Gulshan K, Li DK, Mylonakis E et al (2008) A nuclear receptor-like pathway regulating multidrug resistance in fungi. Nature 452:604–609

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thakur JK, Arthanari H, Yang F, Chau KH, Wagner G, Naar AM (2009) Mediator subunit Gal11p/MED15 is required for fatty acid-dependent gene activation by yeast transcription factor Oaf1p. J Biol Chem 284:4422–4428

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thakur JK, Agarwal P, Parida S, Bajaj D, Pasrija R (2013) Sequence and expression analyses of KIX domain proteins suggest their importance in seed development and determination of seed size in rice, and genome stability in Arabidopsis. Mol Genet Genomics 288:329–346

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thakur JK, Yadav A, Yadav G (2014) Molecular recognition by the KIX domain and its role in gene regulation. Nucleic Acids Res 42:2112-2125

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson CM, Young RA (1995) General requirement for RNA polymerase II holoenzymes in vivo. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 92:4587–4590

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tsutsui T, Fukasawa R, Shinmyouzu K, Nakagawa R, Tobe K, Tanaka A, Ohkuma Y (2013) Mediator complex recruits epigenetic regulators via its two cyclin-dependent kinase subunits to repress transcription of immune response genes. J Biol Chem 288:20955–20965

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wang W, Chen X (2004) HUA ENHANCER3 reveals a role for a cyclin-dependent protein kinase in the specification of floral organ identity in Arabidopsis. Development 131:3147–3156

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wang G, Balamotis MA, Stevens JL, Yamaguchi Y, Handa H, Berk AJ (2005) Mediator requirement for both recruitment and postrecruitment steps in transcription initiation. Mol Cell 17:683–694

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Warren G, McKown R, Marin AL, Teutonico R (1996) Isolation of mutations affecting the development of freezing tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. Plant Physiol 111:1011–1019

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wathugala DL, Richards SA, Knight H, Knight MR (2011) OsSFR6 is a functional rice orthologue of SENSITIVE TO FREEZING-6 and can act as a regulator of COR gene expression, osmotic stress and freezing tolerance in Arabidopsis. New Phytol 191:984–995

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wathugala DL, Hemsley PA, Moffat CS, Cremelie P, Knight MR, Knight H (2012) The mediator subunit SFR6/MED16 controls defense gene expression mediated by salicylic acid and jasmonate responsive pathways. New Phytol 195:217–230

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Whyte WA, Orlando DA, Hnisz D, Abraham BJ, Lin CY, Kagey MH, Rahl PB, Lee TI, Young RA (2013) Master transcription factors and Mediator establish super-enhancers at key cell identity genes. Cell 153:307–319

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Woychik NA, Hampsey M (2002) The RNA polymerase II machinery: structure illuminates function. Cell 108:453–463

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang F, Sumibcay L, Hinnebusch AG, Swanson MJ (2004) A triad of subunits from the Gal11/tail domain of Srb Mediator is an in vivo target of transcriptional activator Gcn4p. Mol Cell Biol 24:6871–6886

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang X, Wang C, Zhang Y, Sun Y, Mou Z (2012) The Arabidopsis mediator complex subunit 16 positively regulates salicylate-mediated systemic acquired resistance and jasmonate/ethylene-induced defense pathways. Plant Cell 24:4294–4309

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang A, Liu Z, Myers LC (2013a) Differential regulation of white-opaque switching by individual subunits of Candida albicans mediator. Eukaryot Cell 12:1293–1304

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang X, Yao J, Zhang Y, Sun Y, Mou Z (2013b) The Arabidopsis Mediator complex subunits MED14/SWP and MED16/SFR6/IEN1 differentially regulate defense gene expression in plant immune responses. Plant J 75:484–497

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng Z, Guan H, Leal F, Grey PH, Oppenheimer DG (2013) Mediator subunit 18 controls flowering time and floral organ identity in Arabidopsis. PLoS One 8:e53924

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu X, Zhang Y, Bjornsdottir G, Liu Z, Quan A, Costanzo M, Davila Lopez M, Westholm JO, Ronne H, Boone C et al (2011) Histone modifications influence mediator interactions with chromatin. Nucleic Acids Res 39:8342–8354

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

Research in our lab is supported by core funding from NIPGR and grants (BT/PR14519/BRB/10/869/2010 and IYBA grant BT/BI/12/045/2008) from Department of Biotechnology, Government of India.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Plant Genome Research, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, India

    Subhasis Samanta & Jitendra Kumar Thakur

Authors
  1. Subhasis Samanta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jitendra Kumar Thakur
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jitendra Kumar Thakur .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi South Campus Dept. of Plant Molecular Biology, Dhaula Kuan, India

    Girdhar K. Pandey

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Samanta, S., Thakur, J.K. (2015). Role of Plant Mediator Complex in Stress Response. In: Pandey, G. (eds) Elucidation of Abiotic Stress Signaling in Plants. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2540-7_1

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation