title: Tobacco ankyrin protein NEIP2 interacts with ethylene receptor NTHK1 and regulates plant growth and stress responses.
abstract: Ethylene is a gaseous hormone that regulates many processes involved in plant growth, development and stress responses. Previously, we found that the tobacco ethylene receptor NTHK1 (Nicotiana tabacum histidine kinase 1) promotes seedling growth and affects plant salt stress responses. In this study, NTHK1 ethylene receptor-interacting protein 2 (NEIP2) was identified and further characterized in relation to these processes. NEIP2 contains three ankyrin repeats that mediate an interaction with NTHK1 as demonstrated by yeast two-hybrid, glutathione S-transferase (GST) pull-down and co-immunoprecipitation assays. NTHK1 phosphorylates NEIP2 in vitro. Salt stress and ethylene treatment induce NEIP2 accumulation in the first few hours and then the NEIP2 can be phosphorylated in planta. The overexpression of NTHK1 enhances NEIP2 accumulation in the presence of ethylene and salt stress. NEIP2 overexpression promotes plant growth but reduces ethylene responses, which is consistent with the functions of NTHK1. Additionally, NEIP2 improves plant performance under salt and oxidative stress. These results suggest that ethylene-induced NEIP2 probably acts as a brake to reduce ethylene response but resumes growth through interaction with NTHK1. Manipulation of NEIP2 may be beneficial for crop improvement.
authors: State Key Lab of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China These authors contributed equally to this work. Present address: Division of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
authors: Yang-Rong
authors: YR
authors: Cao
authors: State Key Lab of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China These authors contributed equally to this work.
authors: Hao-Wei
authors: HW
authors: Chen
authors: State Key Lab of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China These authors contributed equally to this work.
authors: Zhi-Gang
authors: ZG
authors: Li
authors: State Key Lab of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
authors: Jian-Jun
authors: JJ
authors: Tao
authors: State Key Lab of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
authors: Biao
authors: B
authors: Ma
authors: State Key Lab of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
authors: Wan-Ke
authors: WK
authors: Zhang
authors: State Key Lab of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China jszhang@genetics.ac.cn sychen@genetics.ac.cn.
authors: Shou-Yi
authors: SY
authors: Chen
authors: State Key Lab of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China jszhang@genetics.ac.cn sychen@genetics.ac.cn.
authors: Jin-Song
authors: JS
authors: Zhang
mesh_terms: D017487:Ankyrins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005030:Ethylenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects; D018546:Hypocotyl / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D047468:Immunoprecipitation; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010641:Phenotype; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000187:drug effects; D054730:Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D036226:Seedlings / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017487:Ankyrins; D005030:Ethylenes; D010940:Plant Proteins; D012965:Sodium Chloride; C036216:ethylene
keywords: Abiotic stress; Ankyrin protein; Ethylene receptor; Growth; Nicotiana tabacum