WIND transcription factors orchestrate wound‐induced callus formation, vascular reconnection and defense response in Arabidopsis

Abstract

Summary Wounding triggers de novo organogenesis, vascular reconnection and defense response but how wound stress evoke such a diverse array of physiological responses remains unknown. We previously identified AP2/ERF transcription factors, WOUND INDUCED DEDIFFERENTIATION1 (WIND1) and its homologs, WIND2, WIND3 and WIND4, as key regulators of wound‐induced cellular reprogramming in Arabidopsis. To understand how WIND transcription factors promote downstream events, we performed time‐course transcriptome analyses after WIND1 induction. We observed a significant overlap between WIND1‐induced genes and genes implicated in cellular reprogramming, vascular formation and pathogen response. We demonstrated that WIND transcription factors induce several reprogramming genes to promote callus formation at wound sites. We, in addition, showed that WIND transcription factors promote tracheary element formation, vascular reconnection and resistance to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000. These results indicate that WIND transcription factors function as key regulators of wound‐induced responses by promoting dynamic transcriptional alterations. This study provides deeper mechanistic insights into how plants control multiple physiological responses after wounding.

ASTF1, an AP2/ERF-family transcription factor and ortholog of cultivated tomato LEAFLESS, is required for acylsugar biosynthesis

“…However, the GGWGGAKR motif, which is present in promoters of several known acylsugar biosynthetic genes, returned matches with binding sites of nine TFs, all of which contain AP2 domains. For example, the top two hits are DREB2A and ERF055 (Supplemental Figure 5), which are involved in dehydration (Liu et al, 1998) and defense responses (Iwase et al, 2021), respectively, in Arabidopsis thaliana . These results suggest that genes strongly co-expressed with ASTF1 and are downregulated in VIGS plants are regulated by AP2-domain containing TF(s), such as ASTF1.…”

Molecular Determinants of in vitro Plant Regeneration: Prospects for Enhanced Manipulation of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)

“…Expression of Arabidopsis WIND1 was also shown to induce callus formation in other species such as rapeseed, tomato, and tobacco ( Iwase et al, 2013 ). A transcriptome analysis showed WIND1 activates over 2,000 genes involved in multiple pathways including wound-induced cellular reprogramming and vascular formation ( Iwase et al, 2021 ).…”

“…Among the genes upregulated by WIND1 are those encoding for other AP2/ERF-type transcription factors including PLETHORA (PLT) genes ( Kareem et al, 2015 ; Iwase et al, 2021 ). PLT genes work through the auxin signaling pathway, are often transcribed in response to auxin accumulation, and are activated downstream of ARF7 and ARF19 ( Aida et al, 2004 ; Hofhuis et al, 2013 ).…”

Wound-Induced Systemic Responses and Their Coordination by Electrical Signals

“…Wounding triggers neighboring cells to re-enter the cell cycle, frequently inducing callus from differentiated somatic cells ( Ikeuchi et al, 2017 ; Iwase et al, 2021 ). The AP2/ERF transcription factor gene, WOUND-INDUCED DEDIFFERENTIATION1 ( WIND1 ), and its close homologs WIND 2, WIND3 , and WIND4 are rapidly induced by wounding, and they promote callus formation by activating cytokinin responses ( Iwase et al, 2011 ).…”

“…The AP2/ERF transcription factor gene, WOUND-INDUCED DEDIFFERENTIATION1 ( WIND1 ), and its close homologs WIND 2, WIND3 , and WIND4 are rapidly induced by wounding, and they promote callus formation by activating cytokinin responses ( Iwase et al, 2011 ). Callus has the capacity for cell fate transition, which is essential for regenerating new organs ( Iwase et al, 2021 ). In parallel, wounding frequently activates de novo organogenesis, sometimes independently of callus formation.…”