The Arabidopsis ERF1 regulates abiotic-stress-responsive gene expression by binding to different cis-acting elements under different stress signalings
Date Issued
2015
Date
2015
Author(s)
Cheng, Mei-Chun
Abstract
Ethylene Response Factor 1 (ERF1) is an upstream component in both jasmonate (JA) and ethylene (ET) signaling, and is involved in pathogen resistance. Accumulating evidence suggests that ERF1 might be related to salt stress response through ethylene signaling. However, the specific role of ERF1 in abiotic stress and the molecular mechanism underlying the signaling crosstalk still need to be elucidated. Here, I report that ERF1 was highly induced by high salinity and drought stress. The salt-stress induction required both JA and ET signaling but was inhibited by abscisic acid (ABA). ERF1 overexpressing lines (35S:ERF1) were more tolerant to drought and salt stress. They also displayed constitutively smaller stomatal aperture, less transpirational water loss. Surprisingly, 35S:ERF1 also showed enhanced heat tolerance and upregulation of heat tolerance genes compared with WT. Several suites of genes activated by JA, drought, salt, and heat were found in microarray analysis of 35S:ERF1. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays found that ERF1 upregulates specific suites of genes in response to different abiotic stresses by stress-specific binding to GCC or DRE/CRT. In response to biotic stress, ERF1 bound to GCC boxes but not DRE elements and conversely, under abiotic stress we observed specific binding of ERF1 to DRE elements. Furthermore, ERF1 bound preferentially to only one among several GCC box or DRE/CRT elements in the promoter region of its target genes. ERF1 plays a positive role in salt, drought, and heat stress tolerance by stress specific gene regulation which integrates JA, ET and ABA signals.
Subjects
abiotic stress
jasmonic acid
ethylene
abscisic acid
Type
thesis
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
Loading...
Name
ntu-104-D00b42005-1.pdf
Size
23.32 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum
(MD5):1f52d7e1c3a042a64577456072bfe9f5