Transcription factors involved in brassinosteroid repressed gene expression and their regulation by BIN2 kinase

Brassinosteroids (BRs) play important roles in plant growth, development and responses to environmental cues. BRs signal through plasma membrane-localized receptors to control BES1/BZR1 family transcription factors, which mediate the expression of thousands of genes. BRs activate and repress approximately equal numbers of genes. BES1/BZR1 interact with other transcription factors, histone-modifying enzymes, and transcription elongation factors to activate BR-induced genes. However, the mechanisms by which BES1/BZR1 mediate the BR-repressed gene expression are not well understood. Recent studies revealed that 2 BR-repressed transcription factors, MYBL2 and HAT1, cooperate with BES1 to downregulate BR-repressed genes expression. Moreover, BIN2 kinase, a well-established negative regulator in the BR signaling pathway, phosphorylates MYBL2 and HAT1. While BIN2 phosphorylates and destabilizes BES1/BZR1, BIN2 phosphorylated MYBL2 and HAT1 appear to be stabilized. These results not only extended our understanding of BR-repressed gene expression, but also revealed multiple inputs of BR signaling into BR transcriptional networks.