A novel NAC transcription factor cooperates with bZIP-type transcription factors in dehydration and osmotic stress responses
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ABSTRACT: Multiple transcription factors (TFs) play essential roles in plants under abiotic stress, one of the most challenging conditions of plant survival. However, how these multiple TFs cooperate in abiotic stress responses still remains largely unknown. In this study, we provide evidence that a novel NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2, and CUC2) transcription factor (ANAC096) cooperates with bZIP-type TFs [ABRE-binding factor/ABRE-binding protein (ABF/AREB)] in ensuring survival under dehydration and osmotic stress conditions. Intriguingly, ANAC096 directly interacted with ABF2 and ABF4, but not with ABF3, both in vitro and in vivo. ANAC096 and ABF2 synergistically activated RD29A transcription. The genome-wide gene expression analysis revealed that a major proportion of ABA-responsive genes are under the transcriptional regulation of ANAC096.An Arabidopsis mutant, anac096, was hyposensitive to exogenous abscisic acid (ABA), and showed impaired ABA-induced stomatal closure and increased water loss under dehydration stress conditions. Furthermore, the anac096 abf2 abf4 triple mutant was much more sensitive to dehydration and osmotic stresses than the anac096 single mutant or the abf2 abf4 double-mutant. Based on these results, we propose that ANAC096 is involved in a synergistic relationship with a subset of ABFs for the transcriptional activation of ABA-inducible genes in response to dehydration and osmotic stresses.
ORGANISM(S): Arabidopsis thaliana
PROVIDER: GSE51218 | GEO | 2014/01/02
SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA221720
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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