Gain- and loss-of-function mutations in Zat10 enhance the tolerance of plants to abiotic stress.
C(2)H(2)-zinc finger proteins that contain the EAR repressor domain are thought to play a key role in modulating the defense response of plants to abiotic stress. Constitutive expression of the C(2)H(2)-EAR zinc finger protein Zat10 in Arabidopsis was found to elevate the expression of reactive oxygen-defense transcripts and to enhance the tolerance of plants to salinity, heat and osmotic stress. Surprisingly, knockout and RNAi mutants of Zat10 were also more tolerant to osmotic and salinity stress. Our results suggest that Zat10 plays a key role as both a positive and a negative regulator of plant defenses.
Mittler
Ron
R
Department of Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA. ronm@unr.edu
Kim
Yongsig
Y
Song
Luhua
L
Coutu
Jesse
J
Coutu
Alicia
A
Ciftci-Yilmaz
Sultan
S
Lee
Hojoung
H
Stevenson
Becky
B
Zhu
Jian-Kang
JK
D000040:Abscisic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects*; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects; D017343:Genes, Plant; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D036226:Seedlings / Q000187:drug effects; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000040:Abscisic Acid; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012965:Sodium Chloride; C516241:STZ protein, Arabidopsis