title: Global gene expression analysis using RNA-seq uncovered a new role for SR1/CAMTA3 transcription factor in salt stress.
abstract: Abiotic and biotic stresses cause significant yield losses in all crops. Acquisition of stress tolerance in plants requires rapid reprogramming of gene expression. SR1/CAMTA3, a member of signal responsive transcription factors (TFs), functions both as a positive and a negative regulator of biotic stress responses and as a positive regulator of cold stress-induced gene expression. Using high throughput RNA-seq, we identified ~3000 SR1-regulated genes. Promoters of about 60% of the differentially expressed genes have a known DNA binding site for SR1, suggesting that they are likely direct targets. Gene ontology analysis of SR1-regulated genes confirmed previously known functions of SR1 and uncovered a potential role for this TF in salt stress. Our results showed that SR1 mutant is more tolerant to salt stress than the wild type and complemented line. Improved tolerance of sr1 seedlings to salt is accompanied with the induction of salt-responsive genes. Furthermore, ChIP-PCR results showed that SR1 binds to promoters of several salt-responsive genes. These results suggest that SR1 acts as a negative regulator of salt tolerance by directly repressing the expression of salt-responsive genes. Overall, this study identified SR1-regulated genes globally and uncovered a previously uncharacterized role for SR1 in salt stress response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Program in Molecular Plant Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA.
authors.forename: Kasavajhala V S K
authors.initials: KVSK
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Program in Molecular Plant Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA.
authors.forename: Amira A E
authors.initials: AAE
authors.lastname: Abdel-Hameed
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Program in Molecular Plant Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA.
authors.forename: Denghui
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Program in Molecular Plant Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA.
authors.forename: Anireddy S N
authors.initials: ASN
authors.lastname: Reddy
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001665:Binding Sites; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D063990:Gene Ontology; D020868:Gene Silencing; D017343:Genes, Plant; D055049:Salt Tolerance; D036226:Seedlings / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: C572689:AT2G22300 protein, Arabidopsis; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors