A novel cold-inducible zinc finger protein from soybean, SCOF-1, enhances cold tolerance in transgenic plants.
Cold stress on plants induces changes in the transcription of cold response genes. A cDNA clone encoding C2H2-type zinc finger protein, SCOF-1, was isolated from soybean. The transcription of SCOF-1 is specifically induced by low temperature and abscisic acid (ABA) but not by dehydration or high salinity. Constitutive overexpression of SCOF-1 induced cold-regulated (COR) gene expression and enhanced cold tolerance of non-acclimated transgenic Arabidopsis and tobacco plants. SCOF-1 localized to the nucleus but did not bind directly to either C-repeat/dehydration (CRT/DRE) or ABA responsive element (ABRE), cis-acting DNA regulatory elements present in COR gene promoters. However, SCOF-1 greatly enhanced the DNA binding activity of SGBF-1, a soybean G-box binding bZIP transcription factor, to ABRE in vitro. SCOF-1 also interacted with SGBF-1 in a yeast two-hybrid system. The SGBF-1 transactivated the beta-glucuronidase reporter gene driven by the ABRE element in Arabidopsis leaf protoplasts. Furthermore, the SCOF-1 enhanced ABRE-dependent gene expression mediated by SGBF-1. These results suggest that SCOF-1 may function as a positive regulator of COR gene expression mediated by ABRE via protein-protein interaction, which in turn enhances cold tolerance of plants.
Kim
J C
JC
Division of Applied Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Chinju 660-701, Korea.
Lee
S H
SH
Cheong
Y H
YH
Yoo
C M
CM
Lee
S I
SI
Chun
H J
HJ
Yun
D J
DJ
Hong
J C
JC
Lee
S Y
SY
Lim
C O
CO
Cho
M J
MJ
D000040:Abscisic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000235:genetics*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D003080:Cold Temperature; D017931:DNA Primers; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D005966:Glucuronidase / Q000235:genetics; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010940:Plant Proteins; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013025:Glycine max / Q000235:genetics*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D016335:Zinc Fingers
D017931:DNA Primers; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; C430704:SCOF-1 protein, Glycine max; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000040:Abscisic Acid; D005966:Glucuronidase