Identification of a novel jasmonate-responsive element in the AtJMT promoter and its binding protein for AtJMT repression

PLoS One. 2013;8(2):e55482. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055482. Epub 2013 Feb 5.

Abstract

Jasmonates (JAs) are important regulators of plant biotic and abiotic stress responses and development. AtJMT in Arabidopsis thaliana and BcNTR1 in Brassica campestris encode jasmonic acid carboxyl methyltransferases, which catalyze methyl jasmonate (MeJA) biosynthesis and are involved in JA signaling. Their expression is induced by MeJA application. To understand its regulatory mechanism, here we define a novel JA-responsive cis-element (JARE), G(C)TCCTGA, in the AtJMT and BcNTR1 promoters, by promoter deletion analysis and Yeast 1-Hybrid (Y1H) assays; the JARE is distinct from other JA-responsive cis-elements previously reported. We also used Y1H screening to identify a trans-acting factor, AtBBD1, which binds to the JARE and interacts with AtJAZ1 and AtJAZ4. Knockout and overexpression analyses showed that AtBBD1 and its close homologue AtBBD2 are functionally redundant and act as negative regulators of AtJMT expression. However, AtBBD1 positively regulated the JA-responsive expression of JR2. Chromatin immunoprecipitation from knockout and overexpression plants revealed that repression of AtJMT is associated with reduced histone acetylation in the promoter region containing the JARE. These results show that AtBBD1 interacts with JAZ proteins, binds to the JARE and represses AtJMT expression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Retracted Publication

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis / genetics*
  • Arabidopsis / metabolism*
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics*
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / metabolism*
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Cyclopentanes / metabolism*
  • Oxylipins / metabolism*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics
  • Response Elements / genetics*

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Cyclopentanes
  • Oxylipins
  • jasmonic acid

Grants and funding

This work was supported by a grant from the Next-Generation BioGreen 21 Program (project nos. PJ008053 to YDC and PJ007971 to JKK), Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea through the National Center for GM Crops. A graduate research assistantship to JSS from the Brain Korea 21 project of the MEST is also acknowledged. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.