Premium
The cysteine2/histidine2‐type transcription factor ZINC FINGER OF ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA 6 ‐activated C‐ REPEAT ‐ BINDING FACTOR pathway is essential for melatonin‐mediated freezing stress resistance in Arabidopsis
Author(s) -
Shi Haitao,
Chan Zhulong
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of pineal research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.881
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1600-079X
pISSN - 0742-3098
DOI - 10.1111/jpi.12155
Subject(s) - melatonin , arabidopsis , transcription factor , zinc finger , endogeny , arabidopsis thaliana , abiotic stress , biology , gene knockdown , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , medicine , endocrinology , biochemistry , gene , mutant
Abstract Melatonin ( N ‐acetyl‐5‐methoxytryptamine) is not only a widely known animal hormone, but also an important regulator in plant development and multiple abiotic stress responses. Recently, it has been revealed that melatonin alleviated cold stress through mediating several cold‐related genes, including C‐ REPEAT ‐ BINDING FACTOR s ( CBF s )/ Drought Response Element Binding factors ( DREB s ), COR 15a , and three transcription factors ( CAMTA 1 , ZINC FINGER OF ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA 10 ( ZAT 10 ), and ZAT 12 ). In this study, we quantified the endogenous melatonin level in Arabidopsis plant leaves and found the endogenous melatonin levels were significantly induced by cold stress (4°C) treatment. In addition, we found one cysteine2/histidine2‐type zinc finger transcription factor, ZAT 6, was involved in melatonin‐mediated freezing stress response in Arabidopsis . Interestingly, exogenous melatonin enhanced freezing stress resistance was largely alleviated in At ZAT 6 knockdown plants, but was enhanced in At ZAT 6 overexpressing plants. Moreover, the expression levels of At ZAT 6 and At CBF s were commonly upregulated by cold stress (4°C) and exogenous melatonin treatments, and modulation of At ZAT 6 expression significantly affected the induction At CBF s transcripts by cold stress (4°C) and exogenous melatonin treatments. Taken together, At ZAT 6‐activated CBF pathway might be essential for melatonin‐mediated freezing stress response in Arabidopsis .