Putting a Finger on Plant Stress Response (IMAGE) University of Tsukuba Caption Researchers from the University of Tsukuba have found that a PHD zinc finger-like domain in SUMO E3 ligase SIZ1 is essential for protein function in Arabidopsis. Deletion or mutation of the domain failed to complement a siz1 mutant, confirming its role in sumoylation. They also showed that the finger recognizes tri-methylated histone proteins, suggesting a role for the finger domain in SIZ1/SUMO-mediated transcriptional regulation of stress response-associated genes. Credit University of Tsukuba Usage Restrictions Unauthorized use is prohibited License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.