AtHAP5A modulates freezing stress resistance in Arabidopsis through binding to CCAAT motif of AtXTH21

Abstract

SummarySeveral eukaryotic Heme-associated proteins (HAPs) have been reported to bind specifically to DNA fragments containing CCAAT-box; however, the physiological functions and direct targets of these HAP proteins in plants remain unclear.In this study, we showed that AtHAP5A as a transcription factor interacted with CCAAT motif in vivo, and AtXTH21, one direct target of AtHAP5A, was involved in freezing stress resistance. The AtHAP5A overexpressing plants were more tolerant, whereas the loss-offunction mutant of AtHAP5A was more sensitive to freezing stress than wild-type plants. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay demonstrated that AtHAP5A could bind to five fragments that contained CCAAT motifs in the AtXTH21 promoter.Similarly, the AtXTH21 overexpressing plants exhibited improved freezing resistance, while xth21 knockdown mutants displayed decreased freezing resistance. Notably, the modulated freezing resistance of AtHAP5A overexpressing plants and knockout mutant could be reversed by the xth21 mutant and AtXTH21 overexpressing plants, respectively, indicating that AtHAP5A might act upstream of AtXTH21 in freezing stress. Additionally, modulation of AtHAP5A and AtXTH21 expression had the same effects on abscisic acid (ABA) sensitivity and reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism.Taken together, these results demonstrated that AtHAP5A modulates freezing stress resistance in Arabidopsis through binding to the CCAAT motif of AtXTH21.

AtHAP5A modulates freezing stress resistance inArabidopsisindependent of the CBF pathway

“…15 In our recent study, we found that expression of HAP5A was induced by different abiotic stress treatments, and AtHAP5A as a transcription factor interacted with CCAAT motif in vivo. 16 Through genome sequence analysis, CCAAT motif was found in promoters of many genes, and five CCAAT motifs were enriched in AtXTH21 promoter region. 16 Based on the phenotype data of AtHAP5A modulated plants, we focused on the involvement of AtHAP5A in freezing stress.…”

“…16 Through genome sequence analysis, CCAAT motif was found in promoters of many genes, and five CCAAT motifs were enriched in AtXTH21 promoter region. 16 Based on the phenotype data of AtHAP5A modulated plants, we focused on the involvement of AtHAP5A in freezing stress. 16 The direct link of expression between AtHAP5A and AtXTH21 under control and stress conditions made AtXTH21 as a potential target.…”

The Cysteine2/Histidine2-Type Transcription Factor ZINC FINGER OF ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA6 Modulates Biotic and Abiotic Stress Responses by Activating Salicylic Acid-Related Genes and C-REPEAT-BINDING FACTOR Genes in Arabidopsis

“…As sessile organisms, plants cannot avoid unfavorable circumstances by adjusting their location. Therefore, they have evolved complex strategies to perceive stress signals and further translate the perception into effective plant responses (Gimenez-Ibanez and Solano, 2013;Shi et al, 2014aShi et al, , 2014b.…”

A Wheat CCAAT Box-Binding Transcription Factor Increases the Grain Yield of Wheat with Less Fertilizer Input

“…Several studies suggested that members of the NF-Y family play essential roles in the control of flowering (Kumimoto et al, 2008(Kumimoto et al, , 2010Wei et al, 2010;Li et al, 2011;Yan et al, 2011), seed development (Yamamoto et al, 2009), photosynthesis (Stephenson et al, 2010(Stephenson et al, , 2011, and nodule development (Combier et al, 2006(Combier et al, , 2008Zanetti et al, 2010). Other NF-Y family members are known to enhance tolerance to abiotic stresses such as drought (Nelson et al, 2007;Stephenson et al, 2007;Li et al, 2008;Ni et al, 2013), salinity (Zhao et al, 2009;Leyva-González et al, 2012), and cold (Leyva-González et al, 2012;Shi et al, 2014). A relationship between NF-Ys and N utilization was first reported in yeast: the HAP complex regulates the expression of Glucose dehydrogenase1 and an N-starvationspecific gene, vacuolar serine protease (isp6 + ; Dang et al, 1996;Nakashima et al, 2002;Riego et al, 2002).…”