Two bHLH Transcription Factors, bHLH34 and bHLH104, Regulate Iron Homeostasis in Arabidopsis thaliana

Abstract

The regulation of iron (Fe) homeostasis is critical for plant survival. Although the systems responsible for the reduction, uptake, and translocation of Fe have been described, the molecular mechanism by which plants sense Fe status and coordinate the expression of Fe deficiency-responsive genes is largely unknown. Here, we report that two basic helix-loop-helix-type transcription factors, bHLH34 and bHLH104, positively regulate Fe homeostasis in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Loss of function of bHLH34 and bHLH104 causes disruption of the Fe deficiency response and the reduction of Fe content, whereas overexpression plants constitutively promote the expression of Fe deficiency-responsive genes and Fe accumulation. Further analysis indicates that bHLH34 and bHLH104 directly activate the transcription of the Ib subgroup bHLH genes, bHLH38/39/100/101 Moreover, overexpression of bHLH101 partially rescues the Fe deficiency phenotypes of bhlh34bhlh104 double mutants. Further investigation suggests that bHLH34, bHLH104, and bHLH105 (IAA-LEUCINE RESISTANT3) function as homodimers or heterodimers to nonredundantly regulate Fe homeostasis. This work reveals that plants have evolved complex molecular mechanisms to regulate Fe deficiency response genes to adapt to Fe deficiency conditions.