背景回顾：Cold acclimation in Arabidopsis thaliana triggers a significant transcriptional reprogramming altering the expression patterns of thousands of cold-responsive (COR) genes. Essential to this process is the C-repeat binding factor (CBF)-dependent pathway, involving the activity of AP2/ERF (APETALA2/ethylene-responsive factor)-type CBF transcription factors required for plant cold acclimation. 

主要研究：In this study, we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation assays followed by deep sequencing (ChIP-seq) to determine the genome-wide binding sites of the CBF transcription factors. 

结果1-结合基序：Cold-induced CBF proteins specifically bind to the conserved C-repeat (CRT)/dehydration-responsive elements (CRT/DRE; G/ACCGAC) of their target genes. 

结果2-结合基因：A Gene Ontology enrichment analysis showed that 1,012 genes are targeted by all three CBFs. 

结果3-直接靶标：Combined with a transcriptional analysis of the cbf1,2,3 triple mutant, we define 146 CBF regulons as direct CBF targets. 

结果4-功能富集：In addition, the CBF-target genes are significantly enriched in functions associated with hormone, light, and circadian rhythm signaling, suggesting that the CBFs act as key integrators of endogenous and external environmental cues. 

结论：Our findings not only define the genome-wide binding patterns of the CBFs during the early cold response, but also provide insights into the role of the CBFs in regulating multiple biological processes of plants.

 摘 要 

拟南芥的冷适应诱导了一系列的转录重编程，改变了数千个低温响应基因的表达模式。该过程一个重要的通路是依赖于CBF的通路，主要与AP2/ERF类的CBF转录因子的活性有关，作用于植物的低温驯化。本文中，作者通过ChIP-seq来鉴定CBF在全基因组范围上的结合位点。低温诱导的CBF蛋白会特异性地结合到其靶基因的保守C-repeat（CRT）/脱水响应元件（CRT/DRE）上。作者发现共有1012个基因能够被三个CBFs蛋白靶向结合。结合cbf1,2,3三突的转录数据，作者鉴定到了146个CBF调节子作为CBF的直接靶标。另外，CBF靶基因显著富集与激素、光照以及生物节律信号转导相关的功能，说明CBFs是整合植物内源和外界环境信号的一个综合调控因子。本文的研究不仅鉴定了CBFs于早期低温响应过程中在全基因组范围上的结合模式，同时也揭示了CBFs在植物多个生物学进程中发挥重要作用。