Decoding Tissue Patterning: The role of microProteins in epigenetic cell memory

Small open reading frames (sORFs) such as microProteins have been frequently overlooked and excluded from genome annotations due to their small size.

However, recent research has revealed that sORFs exist ubiquitously and can play crucial roles in numerous molecular processes.

Over the past decade, our research group has identified and characterized several plant microProteins that can attenuate the activity of transcription factors.

Our laboratory´s unpublished work has revealed that the LITTLE ZIPPERs (ZPRs), a class of microProteins, are capable of interacting with their transcription factor targets and specific DNA methylases. Additionally, we observed changes in the DNA methylome.

We hypothesize that ZPR-microProteins can act as anti-morphogens, fine-tuning the epigenome to establish tissue boundaries.

Our goal is to dissect the regulatory framework using a combination of protein biochemistry, genetics, and live imaging to uncover the importance of DNA methylation for pattern formation during development.

We expect that our research will establish a connection between microProtein research and epigenetic regulation, opening up a new area of study. The regulatory concepts discovered in this study will be applicable to various organisms and disease models.