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Transcription factor CDF4 promotes leaf senescence and floral organ abscission by regulating abscisic acid and reactive oxygen species pathways in Arabidopsis
Author(s) -
Xu Peipei,
Chen Haiying,
Cai Weiming
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
embo reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.584
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1469-3178
pISSN - 1469-221X
DOI - 10.15252/embr.201948967
Subject(s) - senescence , abscisic acid , abscission , reactive oxygen species , biology , transcription factor , pedicel , arabidopsis , microbiology and biotechnology , gene knockdown , endogeny , biochemistry , gene , botany , mutant
Leaf senescence is a highly complex developmental process that is tightly controlled by multiple layers of regulation. Abscisic acid (ABA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are two well‐known factors that promote leaf senescence. We show here that the transcription factor CDF4 positively regulates leaf senescence. Constitutive and inducible overexpression of CDF4 accelerates leaf senescence, while knockdown of CDF4 delays it. CDF4 increases endogenous ABA levels by upregulating the transcription of the ABA biosynthesis genes 9‐cis‐epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase 2, 3 ( NCED2, 3 ) and suppresses H 2 O 2 scavenging by repressing expression of the catalase2 ( CAT2 ) gene. NCED2, 3 knockout and CAT2 overexpression partially rescue premature leaf senescence caused by CDF4 overexpression. We also show that CDF4 promotes floral organ abscission by activating the polygalacturonase PGAZAT gene. Based on these results, we propose that the levels of CDF4, ABA, and ROS undergo a gradual increase driven by their interlinking positive feedback loops during the leaf senescence and floral organ abscission processes.