RSM1, an Arabidopsis MYB protein, interacts with HY5/HYH to modulate seed germination and seedling development in response to abscisic acid and salinity

PLoS Genet. 2018 Dec 19;14(12):e1007839. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007839. eCollection 2018 Dec.

Abstract

MYB transcription factors are involved in many biological processes, including metabolism, development and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. RADIALIS-LIKE SANT/MYB 1 (RSM1) belongs to a MYB-related subfamily, and previous transcriptome analysis suggests that RSM1 may play roles in plant development, stress responses and plant hormone signaling. However, the molecular mechanisms of RSM1 action in response to abiotic stresses remain obscure. We show that down-regulation or up-regulation of RSM1 expression alters the sensitivity of seed germination and cotyledon greening to abscisic acid (ABA), NaCl and mannitol in Arabidopsis. The expression of RSM1 is dynamically regulated by ABA and NaCl. Transcription factors ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5) and HY5 HOMOLOG (HYH) regulate RSM1 expression via binding to the RSM1 promoter. Genetic analyses reveal that RSM1 mediates multiple functions of HY5 in responses of seed germination, post-germination development to ABA and abiotic stresses, and seedling tolerance to salinity. Pull-down and BiFC assays show that RSM1 interacts with HY5/HYH in vitro and in vivo. RSM1 and HY5/HYH may function as a regulatory module in responses to ABA and abiotic stresses. RSM1 binds to the promoter of ABA INSENSITIVE 5 (ABI5), thereby regulating its expression, while RSM1 interaction also stimulates HY5 binding to the ABI5 promoter. However, no evidence was found in the dual-luciferase transient expression assay to support that RSM enhances the activation of ABI5 expression by HY. In summary, HY5/HYH and RSM1 may converge on the ABI5 promoter and independently or somehow dependently regulate ABI5 expression and ABI5-downstream ABA and abiotic stress-responsive genes, thereby improving the adaption of plants to the environment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Abscisic Acid / metabolism
  • Abscisic Acid / pharmacology
  • Arabidopsis / genetics
  • Arabidopsis / growth & development*
  • Arabidopsis / metabolism*
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / metabolism*
  • Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / drug effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / drug effects
  • Genes, Plant
  • Germination / drug effects
  • Germination / genetics
  • Germination / physiology
  • Models, Biological
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism*
  • Osmotic Pressure
  • Plant Growth Regulators / metabolism
  • Plant Growth Regulators / pharmacology
  • Plants, Genetically Modified
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Salinity
  • Seedlings / genetics
  • Seedlings / growth & development
  • Seedlings / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*

Substances

  • ABI5 protein, Arabidopsis
  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors
  • Carrier Proteins
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • HY5 protein, Arabidopsis
  • HYH protein, Arabidopsis
  • Myb protein, Arabidopsis
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Plant Growth Regulators
  • Transcription Factors
  • Abscisic Acid

Grants and funding

This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (#31770276, #31170239, and #31370288 to LMF). The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.