Emerging functions of multi-protein complex Mediator with special emphasis on plants

Abstract

Mediator is a multi-subunit protein complex which is involved in transcriptional regulation in yeast and other eukaryotes. As a co-activator, it connects information from transcriptional activators/repressors to transcriptional machinery including RNA polymerase II and general transcription factors. It is not only involved in transcription initiation but also has important roles to play in transcription elongation and termination. Functional attributes of different Mediator subunits have been largely defined in yeast and mammalian systems earlier, while such studies in plants have gained momentum recently. Mediator regulates various processes related to plant development and is also involved in biotic and abiotic stress response. Thus, plant Mediator, like yeast and mammalian Mediator complex, is indispensable for plant growth and survival. Interaction of its multiple subunits with other regulatory proteins and their ectopic expression or knockdown in model plant like Arabidopsis and certain crop plants are paving the way to biochemical analysis and unravel molecular mechanisms of action of Mediator in plants.

Keywords:

• Development
• Mediator
• plant
• stress
• transcription

Acknowledgements

N. M. acknowledges Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for providing Junior and Senior Research fellowships and NIPGR for Senior Research Fellowship.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Additional information

Funding

The authors sincerely acknowledge the financial support provided by NIPGR, New Delhi, and Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India.