A novel ethylene-responsive factor from Tamarix hispida, ThERF1, is a GCC-box- and DRE-motif binding protein that negatively modulates abiotic stress tolerance in Arabidopsis.
Ethylene-responsive factor (ERF) family is one of the largest families of plant-specific transcription factor that can positively or negatively regulate abiotic stress tolerance. However, their functions in regulating abiotic stress tolerance are still not fully understood. In this study, we characterized the functions of an ERF gene from Tamarix hispida, ThERF1, which can negatively regulate abiotic stress tolerance. The expression of ThERF1 was induced by salinity, PEG-simulated drought and abscisic acid (ABA) treatments. ThERF1 can specifically bind to GCC-box and DRE motifs. Overexpression of ThERF1 in transgenic Arabidopsis plants showed inhibited seed germination, and decreased fresh weight gain and root growth compared with wild-type (WT) plants. In addition, the transcript levels of several superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) genes in transgenic plants were significantly inhibited compared with in WT plants, resulting in decreased SOD and POD activities in transgenic plants under salt and drought stress conditions. Furthermore, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and cell membrane damage in ThERF1-transformed plants were all highly increased relative to WT plants. Our results suggest that ThERF1 negatively regulates abiotic stress tolerance by strongly inhibiting the expression of SOD and POD genes, leading to decreased ROS-scavenging ability.
Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China.
Liuqiang
L
Wang
Liping
L
Qin
Wenjin
W
Liu
Daoyuan
D
Zhang
Yucheng
Y
Wang
D000040:Abscisic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D055864:Droughts; D005030:Ethylenes / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D008954:Models, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010544:Peroxidases / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000378:metabolism*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D012639:Seeds / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D032363:Tamaricaceae / Q000235:genetics*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D005030:Ethylenes; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; D010940:Plant Proteins; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000040:Abscisic Acid; C036216:ethylene; D010544:Peroxidases; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase