Arabidopsis ERF1 Mediates Cross-Talk between Ethylene and Auxin Biosynthesis during Primary Root Elongation by Regulating ASA1 Expression

Jie-Li Mao; Zi-Qing Miao; Zhen Wang; Lin-Hui Yu; Xiao-Teng Cai; Cheng-Bin Xiang

doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1005760

Arabidopsis ERF1 Mediates Cross-Talk between Ethylene and Auxin Biosynthesis during Primary Root Elongation by Regulating ASA1 Expression

PLoS Genet. 2016 Jan 8;12(1):e1005760. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005760. eCollection 2016 Jan.

Authors

Jie-Li Mao¹, Zi-Qing Miao¹, Zhen Wang^{1

2}, Lin-Hui Yu¹, Xiao-Teng Cai¹, Cheng-Bin Xiang¹

Affiliations

¹ School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui Province, China.
² Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui Province, China.

Abstract

The gaseous phytohormone ethylene participates in the regulation of root growth and development in Arabidopsis. It is known that root growth inhibition by ethylene involves auxin, which is partially mediated by the action of the WEAK ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE2/ANTHRANILATE SYNTHASE α1 (WEI2/ASA1), encoding a rate-limiting enzyme in tryptophan (Trp) biosynthesis, from which auxin is derived. However, the molecular mechanism by which ethylene decreases root growth via ASA1 is not understood. Here we report that the ethylene-responsive AP2 transcription factor, ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR1 (ERF1), plays an important role in primary root elongation of Arabidopsis. Using loss- and gain-of-function transgenic lines as well as biochemical analysis, we demonstrate that ERF1 can directly up-regulate ASA1 by binding to its promoter, leading to auxin accumulation and ethylene-induced inhibition of root growth. This discloses one mechanism linking ethylene signaling and auxin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis roots.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Anthranilate Synthase / biosynthesis*
Anthranilate Synthase / genetics
Arabidopsis / genetics
Arabidopsis / growth & development
Arabidopsis Proteins / biosynthesis*
Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics
Ethylenes / metabolism
Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
Indoleacetic Acids / metabolism
Peptide Termination Factors / biosynthesis*
Peptide Termination Factors / genetics
Plant Growth Regulators / biosynthesis*
Plant Growth Regulators / genetics
Plant Roots / genetics
Plant Roots / growth & development*
Signal Transduction

Substances

Arabidopsis Proteins
Ethylenes
Indoleacetic Acids
Peptide Termination Factors
Plant Growth Regulators
eukaryotic release factor 1, Arabidopsis
ethylene
ASA1 protein, Arabidopsis
Anthranilate Synthase

Grants and funding

This study was supported by grants from NNSFC (grant no.91417306), MOST (2012CB114304), and Chinese Academy of Science (grant no. KSCX3–YW–N–007). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.