EN
Pollen Ole e 1 domain-containing proteins were initially identified as major allergens. However, recent studies have suggested that these proteins also function as developmental regulators in many other plant tissues. To understand the possible roles of these proteins in plant development, we characterized 28 Pollen Ole e 1 allergen and extensin (AtPOE1) family proteins from Arabidopsis thaliana, and analyzed the transcript levels of the genes encoding these proteins in various tissues. Our analysis revealed that most of the AtPOE1 family genes showed spatial transcription patterns, suggesting that they may be involved in various events at diverse developmental stages. Using one member of the family, AtPOE1;26, as a model, we showed that it is mainly expressed in the root. In addition, the AtPOE1;26 gene locus has a significant histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) modification, which is the typical epigenetic regulation marker of the Polycomb group (PcG) pathway. AtPOE1;26 transcription was upregulated in the PcG mutant curly leaf (clf), and the H3K27me3 level at the AtPOE1;26 locus was reduced in clf, suggesting that its expression is controlled by PcG. Besides AtPOE1;26, the gene loci of at least 13 AtPOE1 family members were modified by H3K27me3. Overall, these data indicate that AtPOE1 family members have spatial expression patterns in multiple plant tissues, and that their expression could be epigenetically controlled.