拟南芥REF6是在植物中首次发现的H3K27me3去甲基化酶，可以特异性地去除H3K27双甲基化和三甲基化修饰。通过表观基因组学ChIP-seq的方法鉴定出数百个REF6的靶基因，这些靶基因可能作为REF6的直接作用靶点在不同的生长发育和环境响应过程中发挥作用。REF6动物中的同源物KDM4家族是H3K9的去甲基化酶，而REF6进化成为H3K27me3去甲基化酶，蛋白功能的不同可能是由于它们结构域功能的分化造成的。通过研究JmjC和4 xzf-C2H2结构域在底物特异性识别和靶位点选择中的功能，并通过IP和酵母双杂交分离与这些结构域相互作用蛋白，力求解析REF6参与开花调控和BR响应等生物学过程的作用机制。

REF6 specifically demethylates H3K27me3 and H3K27me2 as the first H3K27 demethylase found in Arabidopsis. H3K27me3 ChIP-seq analysis revealed 656 genes gained 3 fold H3K27me3 increase in ref6, which are enrich in developmental patterning and responses to various stimuli and most of which should be direct targets of REF6. Differed from its homolog KDM4 which has H3K9 demethylase in animals, REF6 is a H3K27 demethylase. The difference between KDM4s and REF6 may reveals new functions of the REF6 JmjC and 4 xzf-C2H2 finger domains. Study the new roles of these domains in enzymatic specificity and target genes selection and purify the REF6-interacting proteins by IP and yeast two hybrid will give more information to understand the function of REF6 in flowering time regulation and response to BR.