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WRKY41 controls Arabidopsis seed dormancy via direct regulation of ABI3 transcript levels not downstream of ABA.
- Source :
-
The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology [Plant J] 2014 Sep; Vol. 79 (5), pp. 810-23. Date of Electronic Publication: 2014 Jul 28. - Publication Year :
- 2014
-
Abstract
- Although seed dormancy is an important agronomic trait, its molecular basis is poorly understood. ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE 3 (ABI3) plays an essential role in the establishment of seed dormancy. Here, we show that the lack of a seed-expressed WRKY transcription factor, WRKY41, confers reduced primary seed dormancy and thermoinhibition, phenotypes resembling those for a lack of ABI3. Loss-of-function abi3-17 and wrky41 alleles also both confer reduced sensitivity to ABA during germination and early seedling growth. Absence of WRKY41 decreases ABI3 transcript abundance in maturing and imbibed seeds, whereas transgenically overexpressing WRKY41 increases ABI3 expression. Moreover, transgenic overexpression of ABI3 completely restores seed dormancy phenotypes on wrky41. ChIP-qPCR and EMSA reveal that WRKY41 binds directly to the ABI3 promoter through three adjacent W-boxes, and a transactivation assay indicates that these W-boxes are essential for ABI3 expression. Whilst RT-qPCR analysis shows that the regulation of ABI3 by WRKY41 is not through ABA and other factors known to promote ABI3 transcription during seed maturation and germination, we also show that high concentrations of ABA might promote negative feedback regulation of WRKY41 expression. Finally, analysis of the wrky41 aba2 double mutant confirms that WRKY41 and ABA collaboratively regulate ABI3 expression and seed dormancy. In summary, our results demonstrate that WRKY41 is an important regulator of ABI3 expression, and hence of seed dormancy.<br /> (© 2014 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)
- Subjects :
- Arabidopsis physiology
Arabidopsis Proteins metabolism
Genes, Reporter
Germination
Mutation
Phenotype
Plant Dormancy
Plant Leaves genetics
Plant Leaves physiology
Plants, Genetically Modified
Promoter Regions, Genetic genetics
Seedlings genetics
Seedlings physiology
Seeds genetics
Seeds physiology
Signal Transduction
Nicotiana genetics
Nicotiana physiology
Transcription Factors metabolism
Abscisic Acid metabolism
Arabidopsis genetics
Arabidopsis Proteins genetics
Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
Plant Growth Regulators metabolism
Transcription Factors genetics
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1365-313X
- Volume :
- 79
- Issue :
- 5
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 24946881
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.12597