Heteromeric HSFA2/HSFA3 complexes drive transcriptional memory after heat stress in Arabidopsis

Abstract

Moderate heat stress primes plants to acquire tolerance to subsequent, more severe heat stress. Here the authors show that the HSFA3 transcription factor forms a heteromeric complex with HSFA2 to sustain activated transcription of genes required for acquired thermotolerance by promoting H3K4 hyper-methylation.