Abstract
OsTZF1 is a member of the CCCH-type zinc finger gene family in rice (Oryza sativa). Expression of OsTZF1 was induced by drought, high-salt stress, and hydrogen peroxide. OsTZF1 gene expression was also induced by abscisic acid, methyl jasmonate, and salicylic acid. Histochemical activity of β-glucuronidase in transgenic rice plants containing the promoter of OsTZF1 fused with β-glucuronidase was observed in callus, coleoptile, young leaf, and panicle tissues. Upon stress, OsTZF1-green fluorescent protein localization was observed in the cytoplasm and cytoplasmic foci. Transgenic rice plants overexpressing OsTZF1 driven by a maize (Zea mays) ubiquitin promoter (Ubi:OsTZF1-OX [for overexpression]) exhibited delayed seed germination, growth retardation at the seedling stage, and delayed leaf senescence. RNA interference (RNAi) knocked-down plants (OsTZF1-RNAi) showed early seed germination, enhanced seedling growth, and early leaf senescence compared with controls. Ubi:OsTZF1-OX plants showed improved tolerance to high-salt and drought stresses and vice versa for OsTZF1-RNAi plants. Microarray analysis revealed that genes related to stress, reactive oxygen species homeostasis, and metal homeostasis were regulated in the Ubi:OsTZF1-OX plants. RNA-binding assays indicated that OsTZF1 binds to U-rich regions in the 3' untranslated region of messenger RNAs, suggesting that OsTZF1 might be associated with RNA metabolism of stress-responsive genes. OsTZF1 may serve as a useful biotechnological tool for the improvement of stress tolerance in various plants through the control of RNA metabolism of stress-responsive genes.
Highlights
OsTZF1 is a member of the CCCH-type zinc finger gene family in rice (Oryza sativa)
Zinc finger proteins containing a tandem zinc finger (TZF) domain, characterized by two CCCH zinc fingers separated by 18 amino acids, are well documented in humans, and a number of them have been associated with RNA metabolism (Varnum et al, 1991; Carballo et al, 1998, 2000; Shimada et al, 2002; AlSouhibani et al, 2010; Jeong et al, 2010)
TZFs control the expression of cytokines, whereas in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), TZF homologs (Cth1 and Cth2) promote the reprogramming of iron-dependent metabolism and iron storage through the control of target mRNA half-lives (Blackshear et al, 2005; Puig et al, 2008)
Summary
OsTZF1 is a member of the CCCH-type zinc finger gene family in rice (Oryza sativa). Expression of OsTZF1 was induced by drought, high-salt stress, and hydrogen peroxide. Many genes induced by various abiotic stresses have been identified using genome-wide analysis techniques, including microarray analysis (Fowler and Thomashow, 2002; Seki et al, 2002; Rabbani et al, 2003; Bartels and Sunkar, 2005; Yamaguchi-Shinozaki and Shinozaki, 2006) and proteomics (Pechanova et al, 2010; Kosová et al, 2011) These induced genes either directly protect plants against stresses by the production of important metabolic proteins (functional proteins) or regulate the genes for signal transduction in the stress response (regulatory proteins). Zinc finger protein genes constitute a large and diverse gene family They are involved in many aspects of plant growth and development and play important roles in many cellular functions, including transcriptional regulation, RNA binding, and protein-protein interactions (Ciftci-Yilmaz and Mittler, 2008). Zinc finger proteins containing a tandem zinc finger (TZF) domain, characterized by two CCCH zinc fingers separated by 18 amino acids, are well documented in humans, and a number of them have been associated with RNA metabolism (Varnum et al, 1991; Carballo et al, 1998, 2000; Shimada et al, 2002; AlSouhibani et al, 2010; Jeong et al, 2010)
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