Isolation and characterization of six AP2/ERF transcription factor genes in Chrysanthemum nankingense.

Chunyan Gao,Liping Ren,Aiping Song,Jiafu Jiang,Peiling Li,Sumei Chen,Fadi Chen,Yinjie Wang,Xiangyu Qi,Haibin Wang

doi:10.3390/ijms16012052

Chunyan Gao, Liping Ren + Show 8 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms16012052

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Abstract

The AP2/ERF family of plant transcription factors (TFs) regulate a variety of developmental and physiological processes. Here, we report the isolation of six AP2/ERF TF family genes from Chrysanthemum nankingense. On the basis of sequence similarity, one of these belonged to the Ethylene Responsive Factor (ERF) subfamily and the other five to the Dehydration Responsive Element Binding protein (DREB) subfamily. A transient expression experiment showed that all six AP2/ERF proteins localized to the nucleus. A yeast-one hybrid assay demonstrated that CnDREB1-1, 1-2 and 1-3 all function as transactivators, while CnERF1, CnDREB3-1 and 3-2 have no transcriptional activation ability. The transcription response of the six TFs in response to wounding, salinity and low temperature stress and treatment with abscisic acid (ABA), salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) showed that CnERF1 was up-regulated by wounding and low temperature stress but suppressed by salinity stress. The transcription of CnDREB1-1, 1-2 and 1-3 was down-regulated by ABA and JA to varying degrees. CnDREB3-1 and 3-2 was moderately increased or decreased by wounding and SA treatment, suppressed by salinity stress and JA treatment, and enhanced by low temperature stress and ABA treatment.

Highlights

Plants have evolved a diversity of responses to external stress
Dehydration Responsive Element Binding protein (DREB)/C-repeat binding factor (CBF) transcription factors (TFs) are an important component of the plant abiotic stress tolerance [10], while the Ethylene Responsive Factor (ERF) TFs participate in the response to both biotic and abiotic stress [11]
CnERF1 belongs to ERF subfamily group B-3, while CnDREB1-1, 1-2 and

Summary

Introduction

Plants have evolved a diversity of responses to external stress. Many of these rely on signalling provided by the phytohormones abscisic acid (ABA), jasmonate (JA), salicylic acid (SA) or ethylene [1]. The DREB/CBF and ERF TFs each harbor only one AP2/ERF domain. DREB/CBF TFs are an important component of the plant abiotic stress tolerance [10], while the ERF TFs participate in the response to both biotic and abiotic stress [11]. The diploid species Chrysanthemum nankingense is native to China [16]. It is used both as a vegetable and as a source of anti-cancer flavonoids and aromatic oils.

Results and Discussion

Plant Materials and Stress Treatments

Sequence Alignment and Phylogenetic Analysis

Conclusions