title: CFLAP1 and CFLAP2 Are Two bHLH Transcription Factors Participating in Synergistic Regulation of AtCFL1-Mediated Cuticle Development in Arabidopsis.
abstract: The cuticle is a hydrophobic lipid layer covering the epidermal cells of terrestrial plants. Although many genes involved in Arabidopsis cuticle development have been identified, the transcriptional regulation of these genes is largely unknown. Previously, we demonstrated that AtCFL1 negatively regulates cuticle development by interacting with the HD-ZIP IV transcription factor HDG1. Here, we report that two bHLH transcription factors, AtCFL1 associated protein 1 (CFLAP1) and CFLAP2, are also involved in AtCFL1-mediated regulation of cuticle development. CFLAP1 and CFLAP2 interact with AtCFL1 both in vitro and in vivo. Overexpression of either CFLAP1 or CFLAP2 led to expressional changes of genes involved in fatty acids, cutin and wax biosynthesis pathways and caused multiple cuticle defective phenotypes such as organ fusion, breakage of the cuticle layer and decreased epicuticular wax crystal loading. Functional inactivation of CFLAP1 and CFLAP2 by chimeric repression technology caused opposite phenotypes to the CFLAP1 overexpressor plants. Interestingly, we find that, similar to the transcription factor HDG1, the function of CFLAP1 in cuticle development is dependent on the presence of AtCFL1. Furthermore, both HDG1 and CFLAP1/2 interact with the same C-terminal C4 zinc finger domain of AtCFL1, a domain that is essential for AtCFL1 function. These results suggest that AtCFL1 may serve as a master regulator in the transcriptional regulation of cuticle development, and that CFLAP1 and CFLAP2 are involved in the AtCFL1-mediated regulation pathway, probably through competing with HDG1 to bind to AtCFL1.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.|Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shibai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Photosynthesis and Environmental Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaochen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.|Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.|Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jieru
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.|Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qingpei
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.
authors.forename: Takato
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Imaizumi
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Photosynthesis and Environmental Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Leqing
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Genji
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.|Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.|The National Plant Gene Research Center (Beijing), Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Li-Jia
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.|The National Plant Gene Research Center (Beijing), Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hongya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gu
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D051338:Cofilin 1 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D019441:Plant Epidermis / Q000235:genetics*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D051338:Cofilin 1; D008563:Membrane Lipids; C000607312:CFLAP1 protein, Arabidopsis; C000607311:CFLAP2 protein, Arabidopsis; C000521:cutin