KNOX-HDAC2 complex suppresses the CAND1 expression is involved in sporophytic development of Pyropia yezoensis.

The PyKNOX-PyHDAC2 complex suppresses PyCAND1 expression during sporophytic development in Pyropia yezoensis, with a strong negative correlation observed in diploid stages.

• Why it matters: Understanding the regulatory mechanisms of life cycle transitions in basal photosynthetic eukaryotes like red algae is limited, hindering insights into their development and potential applications in industry.
• What they did: The study used affinity purification-mass spectrometry, DNA affinity purification sequencing, yeast one-hybrid, EMAS, and molecular docking to analyze PyKNOX interactions, binding motifs, and target genes, focusing on the PyCAND1 promoter.
• The result: Findings suggest that the PyKNOX-PyHDAC2 complex epigenetically and transcriptionally represses PyCAND1, illuminating a conserved regulatory network that may inform future red algae cultivation and developmental studies.