Multifaceted Role of PheDof12-1 in the Regulation of Flowering Time and Abiotic Stress Responses in Moso Bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis).

Jun Liu,Jian Gao,Lihua Xie,Zhanchao Cheng,Xiangyu Li

doi:10.3390/ijms20020424

Abstract

DNA binding with one finger (Dof) proteins, forming an important transcriptional factor family, are involved in gene transcriptional regulation, development, stress responses, and flowering responses in annual plants. However, knowledge of Dofs in perennial and erratically flowering moso bamboo is limited. In view of this, a Dof gene, PheDof12-1, was isolated from moso bamboo. PheDof12-1 is located in the nucleus and has the highest expression in palea and the lowest in bract. Moreover, PheDof12-1 expression is high in flowering leaves, then declines during flower development. The transcription level of PheDof12-1 is highly induced by cold, drought, salt, and gibberellin A3 (GA3) stresses. The functional characteristics of PheDof are researched for the first time in Arabidopsis, and the results show that transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing PheDof12-1 shows early flowering under long-day (LD) conditions but there is no effect on flowering time under short-day (SD) conditions; the transcription levels of FT, SOC1, and AGL24 are upregulated; and FLC and SVP are downregulated. PheDof12-1 exhibits a strong diurnal rhythm, inhibited by light treatment and induced in dark. Yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) assay shows that PheDof12-1 can bind to the promoter sequence of PheCOL4. Taken together, these results indicate that PheDof12-1 might be involved in abiotic stress and flowering time, which makes it an important candidate gene for studying the molecular regulation mechanisms of moso bamboo flowering.

Highlights

DNA binding with one finger (Dof) transcription factors (TFs) are a family of plant-specific transcription factors
In Arabidopsis, DAG1 and DAG2 can promote seed germination [6,7], DOF6 acts as a negative regulator of seed germination and interacts with TCP14 [8], and AtDOF4.7 participates in the transcriptional regulation of floral organ abscission via an effect on cell wall hydrolase gene expression [9]
Based on the moso bamboo genome database, PheDof12-1 was isolated from moso bamboo

Summary

Introduction

DNA binding with one finger (Dof) transcription factors (TFs) are a family of plant-specific transcription factors. Dof transcription factors have been shown to be widely distributed in the plant kingdom. It is suggested that Dof proteins are involved in the regulation of a variety of biological processes, including seed germination, floral organ abscission, hormone signaling, and cell cycles. In Arabidopsis, DAG1 and DAG2 can promote seed germination [6,7], DOF6 acts as a negative regulator of seed germination and interacts with TCP14 [8], and AtDOF4.7 participates in the transcriptional regulation of floral organ abscission via an effect on cell wall hydrolase gene expression [9]. Some Dof genes (AtDof2.4, AtDof5.8, and AtDof5.6/HCA2) are expressed in the early development of vascular cells [10]. Dof TFs such as maize Dof and Dof are involved in the control of carbon and nitrogen metabolism through the regulation of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PECPK), glutamine synthase (GS), and glutamate synthase (GLU) [7,12,13,14,15,16]

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Conclusion