The zinc-finger protein Zat12 plays a central role in reactive oxygen and abiotic stress signaling in Arabidopsis.
Plant acclimation to environmental stress is controlled by a complex network of regulatory genes that compose distinct stress-response regulons. In contrast to many signaling and regulatory genes that are stress specific, the zinc-finger protein Zat12 responds to a large number of biotic and abiotic stresses. Zat12 is thought to be involved in cold and oxidative stress signaling in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana); however, its mode of action and regulation are largely unknown. Using a fusion between the Zat12 promoter and the reporter gene luciferase, we demonstrate that Zat12 expression is activated at the transcriptional level during different abiotic stresses and in response to a wound-induced systemic signal. Using Zat12 gain- and loss-of-function lines, we assign a function for Zat12 during oxidative, osmotic, salinity, high light, and heat stresses. Transcriptional profiling of Zat12-overexpressing plants and wild-type plants subjected to H(2)O(2) stress revealed that constitutive expression of Zat12 in Arabidopsis results in the enhanced expression of oxidative- and light stress-response transcripts. Under specific growth conditions, Zat12 may therefore regulate a collection of transcripts involved in the response of Arabidopsis to high light and oxidative stress. Our results suggest that Zat12 plays a central role in reactive oxygen and abiotic stress signaling in Arabidopsis.
Davletova
Sholpan
S
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, 89557, USA.
Schlauch
Karen
K
Coutu
Jesse
J
Mittler
Ron
R
D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008027:Light; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D016335:Zinc Fingers
D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D014157:Transcription Factors; C502133:ZAT12 protein, Arabidopsis; D012965:Sodium Chloride