title: ABI4 activates DGAT1 expression in Arabidopsis seedlings during nitrogen deficiency.
abstract: Triacylglycerol (TAG) is the major seed storage lipid and is important for biofuel and other renewable chemical uses. Acyl-coenzyme A:diacylglycerol acyltransferase1 (DGAT1) is the rate-limiting enzyme in the TAG biosynthesis pathway, but the mechanism of its regulation is unknown. Here, we show that TAG accumulation in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) seedlings increased significantly during nitrogen deprivation (0.1 mm nitrogen) with concomitant induction of genes involved in TAG biosynthesis and accumulation, such as DGAT1 and OLEOSIN1. Nitrogen-deficient seedlings were used to determine the key factors contributing to ectopic TAG accumulation in vegetative tissues. Under low-nitrogen conditions, the phytohormone abscisic acid plays a crucial role in promoting TAG accumulation in Arabidopsis seedlings. Yeast one-hybrid and electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE4 (ABI4), an important transcriptional factor in the abscisic acid signaling pathway, bound directly to the CE1-like elements (CACCG) present in DGAT1 promoters. Genetic studies also revealed that TAG accumulation and DGAT1 expression were reduced in the abi4 mutant. Taken together, our results indicate that abscisic acid signaling is part of the regulatory machinery governing TAG ectopic accumulation and that ABI4 is essential for the activation of DGAT1 in Arabidopsis seedlings during nitrogen deficiency.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xiangchun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Lianfen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Chengcai
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: An
mesh_terms: D000040:Abscisic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D051048:Diacylglycerol O-Acyltransferase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000494:pharmacology; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000187:drug effects; D036226:Seedlings / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: C470421:ABI4 protein, Arabidopsis; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D010938:Plant Oils; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014280:Triglycerides; D000040:Abscisic Acid; D051048:Diacylglycerol O-Acyltransferase; D009584:Nitrogen