Identification of transcription factor ZmZAT8 involved in abscisic acid regulation pathway of starch synthesis in maize endosperm

AbstractMaize is one of the three major crops worldwide based on its yield and quality. Starch is crucial to both the yield and quality of maize as it accounts more than 60% of the seed weight, and its structure influences the quality of the crop. Starch synthase I (SSI) contributes to the majority of the starch synthase activity in the maize endosperm. An in-depth understanding of the starch synthesis regulatory mechanism would provide opportunities for improving the yield and quality of maize. In this study, ZmPLATZ2, a plant AT-rich sequence and zinc-binding protein (PLATZ) transcription factor related to starch synthesis, was selected based on co-expression analysis. The semiquantitative RT-PCR and qRT-PCR assays revealed that ZmPLATZ2 had a high expression in the endosperm, and reached the peak at 12 days after pollination (DAP). Different treatments demonstrated that ZmPLATZ2 was downregulated by the presence of sucrose. Subsequent transactivation and subcellular localization analyses showed that ZmPLATZ2 was localized in the nuclei without transactivation. Yeast one-hybrid and transient expression in maize endosperm indicated that ZmPLATZ2 could bind to the promoters of ZmSSI, ZmISA1, and ZmISA2 and increase their gene expression. After ZmPLATZ2 overexpression in rice, four starch synthesis genes were significantly upregulated in the transgenic plant, including the OsSSI gene. In vitro DAP-seq data showed that ZmPLATZ2 could bind to the CAAAAAAA element. In conclusion, our data support that ZmPLATZ2 binds to the CAAAAAAA element in the ZmSSI promoter and mediates the Glu signal pathway.

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Synergistic influence of sucrose and abscisic acid on the genes involved in starch synthesis in maize endosperm

Carbohydrate Research ◽

10.1016/j.carres.2011.05.003 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 346 (13) ◽

pp. 1684-1691 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Jiang Chen ◽

Binquan Huang ◽

Yangping Li ◽

Hai Du ◽

Yong Gu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Abscisic Acid ◽

Starch Synthesis ◽

Maize Endosperm

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Faculty Opinions recommendation of Maize endosperm-specific transcription factors O2 and PBF network the regulation of protein and starch synthesis.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.726734409.793529062 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Sinéad Drea ◽

Sofia Kourmpetli

Keyword(s):

Transcription Factors ◽

Starch Synthesis ◽

Maize Endosperm

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Brassinosteroids repress the seed maturation program during the seed-to-seedling transition

Plant Physiology ◽

10.1093/plphys/kiab089 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jiuxiao Ruan ◽

Huhui Chen ◽

Tao Zhu ◽

Yaoguang Yu ◽

Yawen Lei ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Arabidopsis Thaliana ◽

Transcription Factor ◽

Abscisic Acid ◽

Plant Hormone ◽

Flowering Plants ◽

Seed Maturation ◽

Domain Protein ◽

Abscisic Acid Insensitive3 ◽

Underlying Mechanisms ◽

Embryonic Structure

Abstract In flowering plants, repression of the seed maturation program is essential for the transition from the seed to the vegetative phase, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. The B3-domain protein VIVIPAROUS1/ABSCISIC ACID-INSENSITIVE3-LIKE 1 (VAL1) is involved in repressing the seed maturation program. Here we uncovered a molecular network triggered by the plant hormone brassinosteroid (BR) that inhibits the seed maturation program during the seed-to-seedling transition in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). val1-2 mutant seedlings treated with a BR biosynthesis inhibitor form embryonic structures, whereas BR signaling gain-of-function mutations rescue the embryonic structure trait. Furthermore, the BR-activated transcription factors BRI1-EMS-SUPPRESSOR 1 and BRASSINAZOLE-RESISTANT 1 bind directly to the promoter of AGAMOUS-LIKE15 (AGL15), which encodes a transcription factor involved in activating the seed maturation program, and suppress its expression. Genetic analysis indicated that BR signaling is epistatic to AGL15 and represses the seed maturation program by downregulating AGL15. Finally, we showed that the BR-mediated pathway functions synergistically with the VAL1/2-mediated pathway to ensure the full repression of the seed maturation program. Together, our work uncovered a mechanism underlying the suppression of the seed maturation program, shedding light on how BR promotes seedling growth.

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Ectopic expression of a conifer Abscisic Acid Insensitive3 transcription factor induces high-level synthesis of recombinant human α-l-iduronidase in transgenic tobacco leaves

Plant Molecular Biology ◽

10.1007/s11103-006-9122-y ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 63 (6) ◽

pp. 763-776 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Allison R. Kermode ◽

Ying Zeng ◽

Xiaoke Hu ◽

Samantha Lauson ◽

Suzanne R. Abrams ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Transcription Factor ◽

Abscisic Acid ◽

Transgenic Tobacco ◽

Ectopic Expression ◽

High Level Synthesis ◽

Tobacco Leaves ◽

Abscisic Acid Insensitive3 ◽

High Level

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The Halophyte Halostachys caspica AP2/ERF Transcription Factor HcTOE3 Positively Regulates Freezing Tolerance in Arabidopsis

Frontiers in Plant Science ◽

10.3389/fpls.2021.638788 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Fangliu Yin ◽

Youling Zeng ◽

Jieyun Ji ◽

Pengju Wang ◽

Yufang Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Transcription Factor ◽

Abscisic Acid ◽

Freezing Tolerance ◽

Critical Role ◽

Extreme Temperature ◽

Freezing Stress ◽

Antioxidant Enzyme Activities ◽

Transcription Factor Gene ◽

Factor Gene ◽

Halostachys Caspica

The APETALA2 (AP2) and ethylene-responsive element-binding factor (ERF) gene family is one of the largest plant-specific transcription factor gene families, which plays a critical role in plant development and evolution, as well as response to various stresses. The TARGET OF EAT3 (TOE3) gene is derived from Halostachys caspica and belongs to the AP2 subfamily with two AP2 DNA-binding domains. Currently, AP2 family mainly plays crucial roles in plant growth and evolution, yet there are few reports about the role of AP2 in abiotic stress tolerance. Here, we report HcTOE3, a new cold-regulated transcription factor gene, which has an important contribution to freezing tolerance. The main results showed that the expression of HcTOE3 in the H. caspica assimilating branches was strongly induced by different abiotic stresses, including high salinity, drought, and extreme temperature (heat, chilling, and freezing), as well as abscisic acid and methyl viologen treatments. Overexpressing HcTOE3 gene (OE) induced transgenic Arabidopsis plant tolerance to freezing stress. Under freezing treatment, the OE lines showed lower content of malondialdehyde and electrolyte leakage and less accumulation of reactive oxygen species compared with the wild type. However, the survival rates, antioxidant enzyme activities, and contents of osmotic adjustment substance proline were enhanced in transgenic plants. Additionally, the OE lines increased freezing tolerance by up-regulating the transcription level of cold responsive genes (CBF1, CBF2, COR15, COR47, KIN1, and RD29A) and abscisic acid signal transduction pathway genes (ABI1, ABI2, ABI5, and RAB18). Our results suggested that HcTOE3 positively regulated freezing stress and has a great potential as a candidate gene to improve plant freezing tolerance.

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