Polycomb repression in the regulation of growth and development in Arabidopsis

Chromatin state is critical for cell identity and development in multicellular eukaryotes. Among the regulators of chromatin state, Polycomb group (PcG) proteins stand out because of their role in both establishment and maintenance of cell identity. PcG proteins act in two major complexes in metazoans and plants. These complexes function to epigenetically - in a mitotically heritable manner - prevent expression of important developmental regulators at the wrong stage of development or in the wrong tissue. In Arabidopsis, PcG function is required throughout the life cycle from seed germination to embryo formation. Recent studies have expanded our knowledge regarding the biological roles and the regulation of the activity of PcG complexes. In this review, we discuss novel functions of Polycomb repression in plant development as well as advances in understanding PcG complex recruitment, activity regulation and removal in Arabidopsis and other plant species.