ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR 74 (ERF74) plays an essential role in controlling a respiratory burst oxidase homolog D (RbohD)-dependent mechanism in response to different stresses in Arabidopsis.
Recent studies indicate that the ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR VII (ERF-VII) transcription factor is an important regulator of osmotic and hypoxic stress responses in plants. However, the molecular mechanism of ERF-VII-mediated transcriptional regulation remains unclear. Here, we investigated the role of ERF74 (a member of the ERF-VII protein family) by examining the abiotic stress tolerance of an ERF74 overexpression line and a T-DNA insertion mutant using flow cytometry, transactivation and electrophoretic mobility shift assays. 35S::ERF74 showed enhanced tolerance to drought, high light, heat and aluminum stresses, whereas the T-DNA insertion mutant erf74 and the erf74;erf75 double mutant displayed higher sensitivity. Using flow cytometry analysis, we found that erf74 and erf74;erf75 lines lack the reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst in the early stages of various stresses, as a result of the lower expression level of RESPIRATORY BURST OXIDASE HOMOLOG D (RbohD). Furthermore, ERF74 directly binds to the promoter of RbohD and activates its expression under different abiotic stresses. Moreover, induction of stress marker genes and ROS-scavenging enzyme genes under various stress conditions is dependent on the ERF74-RbohD-ROS signal pathway. We propose a pathway that involves ERF74 acting as an on-off switch controlling an RbohD-dependent mechanism in response to different stresses, subsequently maintaining hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) homeostasis in Arabidopsis.
State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.|Guangdong Key Laboratory for Innovative Development and Utilization of Forest Plant Germplasm, College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
Yuan
Y
Yao
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ Donation and Transplant Immunology, the First Hospital Affiliated to Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
Run Jun
RJ
He
State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.|Guangdong Key Laboratory for Innovative Development and Utilization of Forest Plant Germplasm, College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
Qiao Li
QL
Xie
State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.|Guangdong Key Laboratory for Innovative Development and Utilization of Forest Plant Germplasm, College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
Xian Hai
XH
Zhao
State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.|Guangdong Key Laboratory for Innovative Development and Utilization of Forest Plant Germplasm, College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
Xiao Mei
XM
Deng
State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.|Guangdong Key Laboratory for Innovative Development and Utilization of Forest Plant Germplasm, College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
Jun Bo
JB
He
Nurturing Station for the State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'an, Hangzhou, 311300, China.
Lili
L
Song
Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, Sichuan, 625014, China.
Jun
J
He
Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK.
Alan
A
Marchant
State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.|Guangdong Key Laboratory for Innovative Development and Utilization of Forest Plant Germplasm, College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
Xiao-Yang
XY
Chen
State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.|Guangdong Key Laboratory for Innovative Development and Utilization of Forest Plant Germplasm, College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
Ai-Min
AM
Wu
D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D055864:Droughts; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000528:radiation effects; D005799:Genes, Dominant; D008027:Light; D008954:Models, Biological; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D019255:NADPH Oxidases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D010858:Pigmentation / Q000528:radiation effects; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000528:radiation effects; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D016897:Respiratory Burst / Q000528:radiation effects; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000235:genetics
D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; C568857:AT5G47910 protein, Arabidopsis; D019255:NADPH Oxidases

Arabidopsis thaliana
; abiotic stress; ethylene response factor (ERF); reactive oxygen species (ROS); respiratory burst oxidase homolog (Rboh); signal pathway; transactivation