Identification of a novel Cys2/His2-type zinc-finger protein as a component of a spermine-signaling pathway in tobacco

J Plant Physiol. 2007 Jun;164(6):785-93. doi: 10.1016/j.jplph.2006.05.011. Epub 2006 Aug 1.

Abstract

In a previous work, we identified a Cys(2)/His(2)-type zinc-finger transcription repressor, (ZFT1), that functions in a spermine-mediated signal transduction pathway in tobacco plants. Database search disclosed the presence of another Cys(2)/His(2)-type zinc-finger protein ZFP1 (accession number AAC06243) in tobacco plants. In this work, we characterized ZFP1 and investigated whether this protein is also involved in a Spm-signaling pathway. This factor showed the highest identity to petunia ZPT2-2 and higher similarity to petunia ZPT2-3, Arabidopsis STZ/ZAT10, soybean SCOF-1, red pepper CAZFP1/CaPIF1 as well as to tobacco ZFT1. ZFP1 localized to the nucleus and had a specific DNA-binding activity, supportive to be a transcription factor. Furthermore, the protein had a mild repression activity on transcription in plant cells. The expression of ZFP1, encoding ZFP1, was upregulated during tobacco mosaic virus-induced hypersensitive response. ZFP1 expression was also induced by exogenously applied spermine and its induction was repressed by inhibitors of amine oxidase/polyamine oxidase. Collectively, our data indicate that ZFP1 is a new transcription factor which functions in a spermine-signaling pathway in tobacco.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / analysis
  • Guanidines / pharmacology
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nicotiana / drug effects
  • Nicotiana / metabolism*
  • Nicotiana / virology
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Oxidoreductases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Phylogeny
  • Plant Proteins / analysis
  • Plant Proteins / chemistry
  • Plant Proteins / physiology*
  • Polyamines / metabolism
  • Putrescine / analogs & derivatives
  • Putrescine / pharmacology
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Signal Transduction*
  • Spermine / metabolism*
  • Spermine / pharmacology
  • Tobacco Mosaic Virus / physiology
  • Transcription Factors / analysis
  • Transcription Factors / chemistry
  • Transcription Factors / physiology*
  • Up-Regulation
  • Zinc Fingers*

Substances

  • Guanidines
  • Plant Proteins
  • Polyamines
  • Transcription Factors
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • MDL 72527
  • Spermine
  • Oxidoreductases
  • pimagedine
  • Putrescine