title: An EAR-motif-containing ERF transcription factor affects herbivore-induced signaling, defense and resistance in rice.
abstract: Ethylene responsive factors (ERFs) are a large family of plant-specific transcription factors that are involved in the regulation of plant development and stress responses. However, little to nothing is known about their role in herbivore-induced defense. We discovered a nucleus-localized ERF gene in rice (Oryza sativa), OsERF3, that was rapidly up-regulated in response to feeding by the rice striped stem borer (SSB) Chilo suppressalis. Antisense and over-expression of OsERF3 revealed that it positively affects transcript levels of two mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and two WRKY genes as well as concentrations of jasmonate (JA), salicylate (SA) and the activity of trypsin protease inhibitors (TrypPIs). OsERF3 was also found to mediate the resistance of rice to SSB. On the other hand, OsERF3 was slightly suppressed by the rice brown planthopper (BPH) Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) and increased susceptibility to this piercing sucking insect, possibly by suppressing H(2)O(2) biosynthesis. We propose that OsERF3 affects early components of herbivore-induced defense responses by suppressing MAPK repressors and modulating JA, SA, ethylene and H(2)O(2) pathways as well as plant resistance. Our results also illustrate that OsERF3 acts as a central switch that gears the plant's metabolism towards an appropriate response to chewing or piercing/sucking insects.
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Hongping
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.forename: Guoxin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Chuanshu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Erb
authors.forename: Xiaopeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yonggen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003517:Cyclopentanes / Q000378:metabolism; D005030:Ethylenes / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D005809:Genes, Regulator; D006430:Hemiptera; D060434:Herbivory; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D012275:Oryza / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D054883:Oxylipins / Q000378:metabolism; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D020156:Salicylic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003517:Cyclopentanes; D005030:Ethylenes; D054883:Oxylipins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C011006:jasmonic acid; C036216:ethylene; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D020156:Salicylic Acid