title: The transcription factor AtDOF4.2 regulates shoot branching and seed coat formation in Arabidopsis.
abstract: Plant-specific DOF (DNA-binding with one finger)-type transcription factors regulate various biological processes. In the present study we characterized a silique-abundant gene AtDOF (Arabidopsis thaliana DOF) 4.2 for its functions in Arabidopsis. AtDOF4.2 is localized in the nuclear region and has transcriptional activation activity in both yeast and plant protoplast assays. The T-M-D motif in AtDOF4.2 is essential for its activation. AtDOF4.2-overexpressing plants exhibit an increased branching phenotype and mutation of the T-M-D motif in AtDOF4.2 significantly reduces branching in transgenic plants. AtDOF4.2 may achieve this function through the up-regulation of three branching-related genes, AtSTM (A. thaliana SHOOT MERISTEMLESS), AtTFL1 (A. thaliana TERMINAL FLOWER1) and AtCYP83B1 (A. thaliana CYTOCHROME P450 83B1). The seeds of an AtDOF4.2-overexpressing plant show a collapse-like morphology in the epidermal cells of the seed coat. The mucilage contents and the concentration and composition of mucilage monosaccharides are significantly changed in the seed coat of transgenic plants. AtDOF4.2 may exert its effects on the seed epidermis through the direct binding and activation of the cell wall loosening-related gene AtEXPA9 (A. thaliana EXPANSIN-A9). The dof4.2 mutant did not exhibit changes in branching or its seed coat; however, the silique length and seed yield were increased. AtDOF4.4, which is a close homologue of AtDOF4.2, also promotes shoot branching and affects silique size and seed yield. Manipulation of these genes should have a practical use in the improvement of agronomic traits in important crops.
authors.affiliation: State Key Lab of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Feng
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Yu-Qin
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Hao-Wei
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Qing-Xin
authors.initials: QX
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Yun-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ming-Yu
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Bao-Cai
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Wan-Ke
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Biao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Yi-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Jin-Song
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shou-Yi
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009005:Monosaccharides / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011485:Protein Binding; D011523:Protoplasts / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012639:Seeds / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; C523066:DOF4;2 protein, Arabidopsis; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D009005:Monosaccharides; C097496:STM protein, Arabidopsis; C102864:TFL1 protein, Arabidopsis; D014157:Transcription Factors; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; C431937:CYP83B1 protein, Arabidopsis