title: Phosphorylation of a NAC Transcription Factor by a Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Regulates Abscisic Acid-Induced Antioxidant Defense in Maize.
abstract: Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CCaMK) has been shown to play an important role in abscisic acid (ABA)-induced antioxidant defense and enhance the tolerance of plants to drought stress. However, its downstream molecular events are poorly understood. Here, we identify a NAC transcription factor, ZmNAC84, in maize (Zea mays), which physically interacts with ZmCCaMK in vitro and in vivo. ZmNAC84 displays a partially overlapping expression pattern with ZmCCaMK after ABA treatment, and H2O2 is required for ABA-induced ZmNAC84 expression. Functional analysis reveals that ZmNAC84 is essential for ABA-induced antioxidant defense in a ZmCCaMK-dependent manner. Furthermore, ZmCCaMK directly phosphorylates Ser-113 of ZmNAC84 in vitro, and Ser-113 is essential for the ABA-induced stimulation of antioxidant defense by ZmCCaMK. Moreover, overexpression of ZmNAC84 in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) can improve drought tolerance and alleviate drought-induced oxidative damage of transgenic plants. These results define a mechanism for ZmCCaMK function in ABA-induced antioxidant defense, where ABA-produced H2O2 first induces expression of ZmCCaMK and ZmNAC84 and activates ZmCCaMK. Subsequently, the activated ZmCCaMK phosphorylates ZmNAC84 at Ser-113, thereby inducing antioxidant defense by activating downstream genes.
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China (Y.Z., J.Y., W.L., L.L., Y.Sh., Y.S., Y.L., M.J., X.H., L.N., A.Z.);Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Berkeley, California 94720 (H.V.S.);National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China (M.J.); andJiangsu Polytechnic College of Agriculture and Forestry, Engineering and Technology Center for Modern Horticulture, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212400 China (X.H.).
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China (Y.Z., J.Y., W.L., L.L., Y.Sh., Y.S., Y.L., M.J., X.H., L.N., A.Z.);Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Berkeley, California 94720 (H.V.S.);National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China (M.J.); andJiangsu Polytechnic College of Agriculture and Forestry, Engineering and Technology Center for Modern Horticulture, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212400 China (X.H.).
authors.forename: Jingwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China (Y.Z., J.Y., W.L., L.L., Y.Sh., Y.S., Y.L., M.J., X.H., L.N., A.Z.);Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Berkeley, California 94720 (H.V.S.);National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China (M.J.); andJiangsu Polytechnic College of Agriculture and Forestry, Engineering and Technology Center for Modern Horticulture, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212400 China (X.H.).
authors.forename: Weijuan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China (Y.Z., J.Y., W.L., L.L., Y.Sh., Y.S., Y.L., M.J., X.H., L.N., A.Z.);Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Berkeley, California 94720 (H.V.S.);National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China (M.J.); andJiangsu Polytechnic College of Agriculture and Forestry, Engineering and Technology Center for Modern Horticulture, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212400 China (X.H.).
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China (Y.Z., J.Y., W.L., L.L., Y.Sh., Y.S., Y.L., M.J., X.H., L.N., A.Z.);Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Berkeley, California 94720 (H.V.S.);National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China (M.J.); andJiangsu Polytechnic College of Agriculture and Forestry, Engineering and Technology Center for Modern Horticulture, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212400 China (X.H.).
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China (Y.Z., J.Y., W.L., L.L., Y.Sh., Y.S., Y.L., M.J., X.H., L.N., A.Z.);Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Berkeley, California 94720 (H.V.S.);National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China (M.J.); andJiangsu Polytechnic College of Agriculture and Forestry, Engineering and Technology Center for Modern Horticulture, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212400 China (X.H.).
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China (Y.Z., J.Y., W.L., L.L., Y.Sh., Y.S., Y.L., M.J., X.H., L.N., A.Z.);Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Berkeley, California 94720 (H.V.S.);National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China (M.J.); andJiangsu Polytechnic College of Agriculture and Forestry, Engineering and Technology Center for Modern Horticulture, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212400 China (X.H.).
authors.forename: Yanyun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China (Y.Z., J.Y., W.L., L.L., Y.Sh., Y.S., Y.L., M.J., X.H., L.N., A.Z.);Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Berkeley, California 94720 (H.V.S.);National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China (M.J.); andJiangsu Polytechnic College of Agriculture and Forestry, Engineering and Technology Center for Modern Horticulture, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212400 China (X.H.).
authors.forename: Henrik Vibe
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6702-3560
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Scheller
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China (Y.Z., J.Y., W.L., L.L., Y.Sh., Y.S., Y.L., M.J., X.H., L.N., A.Z.);Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Berkeley, California 94720 (H.V.S.);National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China (M.J.); andJiangsu Polytechnic College of Agriculture and Forestry, Engineering and Technology Center for Modern Horticulture, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212400 China (X.H.).
authors.forename: Mingyi
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3300-0133
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China (Y.Z., J.Y., W.L., L.L., Y.Sh., Y.S., Y.L., M.J., X.H., L.N., A.Z.);Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Berkeley, California 94720 (H.V.S.);National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China (M.J.); andJiangsu Polytechnic College of Agriculture and Forestry, Engineering and Technology Center for Modern Horticulture, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212400 China (X.H.).
authors.forename: Xilin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China (Y.Z., J.Y., W.L., L.L., Y.Sh., Y.S., Y.L., M.J., X.H., L.N., A.Z.);Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Berkeley, California 94720 (H.V.S.);National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China (M.J.); andJiangsu Polytechnic College of Agriculture and Forestry, Engineering and Technology Center for Modern Horticulture, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212400 China (X.H.).
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China (Y.Z., J.Y., W.L., L.L., Y.Sh., Y.S., Y.L., M.J., X.H., L.N., A.Z.);Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Berkeley, California 94720 (H.V.S.);National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China (M.J.); andJiangsu Polytechnic College of Agriculture and Forestry, Engineering and Technology Center for Modern Horticulture, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212400 China (X.H.) ayzhang@njau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Aying
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3779-1603
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000040:Abscisic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D055864:Droughts; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D036226:Seedlings / Q000235:genetics; D012694:Serine / Q000378:metabolism; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003313:Zea mays / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010940:Plant Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D012694:Serine; D000040:Abscisic Acid; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases