Overexpression of VOZ2 confers biotic stress tolerance but decreases abiotic stress resistance in Arabidopsis

Abstract

VOZ (vascular plant one zinc-finger protein) is a plant specific one-zinc finger type transcriptional activator, which is highly conserved through land plant evolution. We have previously shown that loss-of-function mutations in VOZ1 and VOZ2 showed increased cold and drought stress tolerances whereas decreased biotic stress resistance in Arabidopsis. Here, we demonstrate that transgenic plants overexpressing VOZ2 impairs freezing and drought stress tolerances but increases resistance to a fungal pathogen, Colletoricum higginsianum. Consistent with changes in the tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, the expression of marker genes for these stresses is significantly altered compared with those of the wild-type plant. These results indicate that a overexpression of VOZ2 confers biotic stress tolerance but impairs abiotic stress tolerances in Arabidopsis.