Expression of a WIPK-activated transcription factor results in increase of endogenous salicylic acid and pathogen resistance in tobacco plants.
NtWIF is a transcription factor activated upon phosphorylation by wound-induced protein kinase (WIPK) in tobacco plants. Transgenic tobacco plants overexpressing NtWIF exhibited constitutive accumulation of transcripts for pathogenesis-related genes, PR-1a and PR-2. Salicylic acid levels were 50-fold higher than those in wild-type plants. The levels of jasmonic acid and IAA did not significantly differ, while an increase of ABA upon wounding was delayed by 3 h in the transgenics. When challenged with tobacco mosaic virus, lesions developed faster and were smaller in the transgenic plants. The results suggest that NtWIF is likely to influence salicylic acid biosynthesis, being located downstream of WIPK.
Waller
Frank
F
Research and Education Center for Genetic Information, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Nara, 630-0192 Japan.
Müller
Axel
A
Chung
Kwi-Mi
KM
Yap
Yun-Kiam
YK
Nakamura
Kimiyo
K
Weiler
Elmar
E
Sano
Hiroshi
H
D051696:Activating Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D020156:Salicylic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000502:physiology*
D051696:Activating Transcription Factors; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids; D010940:Plant Proteins; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C113423:WIPK protein, Nicotiana tabacum; D020156:Salicylic Acid