Abstract
The turnip Brassica rapa has important economic value and represents a good model system to study gene function in crop plants. ERF/AP2 transcription factors are a major group of proteins that are often involved in regulating stress-responses and developmental programs. Some ERF/AP2 proteins are targets of CULLIN3-based E3 ligases that use BTB/POZ-MATH proteins as substrate receptors. These receptors bind the transcription factor and facilitate their ubiquitylation and subsequent degradation via the 26S proteasome. Here, we show tissue and stress-dependent expression patterns for three Brassica rapa ERF/AP2 proteins that are closely related to Arabidopsis thaliana AtRAP2.4. Cloning of the Brassica genes showed that the corresponding proteins can assemble with a BPM protein and CULLIN3, and that they are instable in a 26S proteasome dependent manner. This work demonstrates the conserved nature of the ERF/AP2-CULLIN3-based E3 ligase interplay, and represents a first step to analyze their function in a commercially relevant crop plant.
Highlights
ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR/APETALA2 (ERF/AP2) transcription factors are key regulators of developmental and physiological responses in plants, and they are often connected with abiotic stress control [1,2,3]
One ERF/AP2 transcription factor in Arabidopsis that has recently been brought into context with phytohormone signaling, wound-response, and abiotic stress control is related to APETALA2.4/
We have previously demonstrated that members of the ERF/AP2 family in Arabidopsis are prone to degradation mediated by a CUL3-dependent RING E3 ligase (CRL3) that uses BTB/POZ-MATH
Summary
ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR/APETALA2 (ERF/AP2) transcription factors are key regulators of developmental and physiological responses in plants, and they are often connected with abiotic stress control [1,2,3]. One ERF/AP2 transcription factor in Arabidopsis that has recently been brought into context with phytohormone signaling, wound-response, and abiotic stress control is related to APETALA2.4/. Overexpression of the transcription factor has been connected to increased drought tolerance and up-regulated expression of water-stress related genes in Arabidopsis and rice (Oryza sativa) [7,8,9]. AtRAP2.4 is strongly up-regulated after wounding, and high levels of transcription promote cell dedifferentiation and cell proliferation [5,10].
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