拟南芥WRKY2转录调控因子可能参与调控渗透胁迫反应

拟南芥WRKY2蛋白定位于细胞核,表明WRKY2是转录调控因子。WRKY2在不同器官组织中的表达分析显示在叶的表达量是最高的。在各种逆境条件下的表达分析显示：WRKY2的表达受NaCl和甘露醇比较强的诱导;KCl、LiCl、CaCl2和NaH2PO4均不诱导WRKY2的表达;ABA处理基本上不影响WRKY2基因的表达;另外,WRKY2的表达也不受病原菌、冷害和高温的诱导。这些结果表明WRKY2可能在NaCl和甘露醇引起的渗透胁迫反应中起一定的作用。     

植物WRKY转录因子结构特点及其生物学功能

WRKY转录因子是近年来在植物中发现的N-端含有WRKYGQK高度保守氨基酸序列的新型转录调控因子, 它能够与(T)(T)TGAC(C/T)序列(W-box)发生特异性作用, 调节启动子中含W-box元件的调节基因和/或功能基因的表达, 从而参与植物的各种防卫反应, 调节植物的生长发育等。文章主要论述了植物WRKY转录因子的基本结构及其生物学功能。     

ROP11 GTPase Negatively Regulates ABA Signaling by Protecting ABI1 Phosphatase Activity from Inhibition by the ABA Receptor RCAR1/PYL9 in Arabidopsis

The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) regulates many key processes in plants, such as seed germina- tion, seedling growth, and abiotic stress tolerance. In recent years, a minimal set of core components of a major ABA signaling pathway has been discovered. These components include a RCAR/PYR/PYL family of ABA receptors, a group of PP2C phosphatases, and three SnRK2 kinases. However, how the interactions between the receptors and their targets are regulated by other proteins remains largely unknown. In a companion paper published in this issue, we showed that ROP11, a member of the plant- specific Rho-like small GTPase family, negatively regulates multiple ABA responses in Arabidopsis. The current work demonstrated that the constitutively active ROP11 (CA-ROP11) can modulate the RCAR1/PYL9-mediated ABA signaling pathway based on reconstitution assays in Arabidopsis thaliana protoplasts. Furthermore, using luciferase complementation imaging, yeast two-hybrid assays, co- immunoprecipitation assays in Nicotiana benthamiana and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays, we demonstrated that CA-ROP11 directly interacts with ABI1, a signaling component downstream of RCAR1/PYL9. Finally, we provided biochemical evidence that CA-ROP11 protects ABI1 phosphatase activity from inhibition by RCAR1/PYL9 and thus negatively regulates ABA signaling in plant cells. A model of how ROP11 acts to negatively regulate ABA signaling is presented.     

A Role for Arabidopsis miR399f in Salt,Drought, and ABA Signaling

MiR399f plays a crucial role in maintaining phosphate homeostasis in Arabidopsis thaliana. Under phosphate starvation conditions, AtMYB2, which plays a role in plant salt and drought stress responses, directly regulates the expression of miR399f. In this study, we found that miR399f also participates in plant responses to abscisic acid (ABA), and to abiotic stresses including salt and drought. Salt and ABA treatment induced the expression of miR399f, as confirmed by histochemical analysis of promoter-GUS fusions. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing miR399f (miR399f-OE) exhibited enhanced tolerance to salt stress and exogenous ABA, but hypersensitivity to drought. Our in silico analysis identified ABF3 and CSP41b as putative target genes of miR399f, and expression analysis revealed that mRNA levels of ABF3 and CSP41b decreased remarkably in miR399f-OE plants under salt stress and in response to treatment with ABA. Moreover, we showed that activation of stress-responsive gene expression in response to salt stress and ABA treatment was impaired in miR399f-OE plants. Thus, these results suggested that in addition to phosphate starvation signaling, miR399f might also modulates plant responses to salt, ABA, and drought, by regulating the expression of newly discovered target genes such as ABF3 and CSP41b.     

植物转录因子 WRKY家族的结构及功能

WRKY家族结构上的共同特点是:至少含有一段60个左右的高度保守的氨基酸序列,称为WRKY区,其中有一七肽WRKYGQK存在于所有的成员中,故而得名.WRKY蛋白通过与其目标基因启动子中的顺式元件(T)TGAC(C/T)结合调节该基因的表达,参与(或可能参与)植物对病原体的防卫反应、非生物胁迫反应以及植物的某些生理过程.该文介绍了植物转录因子WRKY家族的结构及功能的研究进展.