Graduate Assistant Florida State University Tallahassee, Florida
Body of Abstract: The b1 hepta tandem repeat (b1TR) is a regulatory sequence in maize which acts as an enhancer for expression of the booster1 (b1) gene based on its epigenetic state. This occurs through a process known as paramutation, where two alleles existing at a single locus can induce a heritable change on the other though epigenetic modifications. Previous research looked to identify proteins that putatively interact with the b1TR as regulators of b1 paramutation via a single-locus immunoprecipitation proteomics (SLIP) technique that utilized a b1TR::UAS transgene and FLAG-GAL4. 1,461 proteins were identified from b1TR::UAS transgenic plants. One putative transcription factor found in the analysis was predicted to contain multiple AT-hook and PHD protein domains, which indicated DNA-binding. Bioinformatic analysis of this putative transcription factor using a gene co-expression network and a protein-protein interaction network predicted it to interact with genes involved in epigenetic regulation, transcriptional enhancement, and heterochromatin inheritance. Additional analysis by yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) is in progress to verify binding of this and other candidate proteins to the b1TR sequence. Current results of the Y1H assay will be presented.