Thermosensitive SUMOylation of TaHsfA1 defines a dynamic ON/OFF molecular switch for the heat stress response in wheat

• DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koad192
• Publication Date: 2023-07-03T18:51:31Z
• Authors: Haoran Wang; Man Feng; Yujie Jiang; Dejie Du; Chaoqun Dong; Zhaoheng Zhang; Wenxi Wang; Jing Liu; Xiangqing Liu; Sufang Li; Yongming Chen; Weilong Guo; Mingming Xin; Yingyin Yao; Zhongfu Ni; Qixin Sun; Huiru Peng; Jie Liu
• Keywords: 2. Zero hunger; Heat Shock Transcription Factors; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Sumoylation; Triticum; Heat-Shock Response; Research Article

Dissecting genetic components in crop plants associated with heat stress (HS) sensing and adaptation will facilitate the design of modern varieties improved thermotolerance. However, molecular mechanisms underlying ON/OFF switch controlling HS responses (HSRs) wheat (Triticum aestivum) remain largely unknown. In this study, we focused on action TaHsfA1, a class A shock transcription factor, dynamically changing signals regulating HSRs. We show that TaHsfA1 protein is modified by small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) modification essential for full transcriptional activation activity triggering downstream gene expression. During sustained exposure, SUMOylation suppressed, which partially reduces activity, thereby reducing intensity addition, demonstrate interacts histone acetyltransferase TaHAG1 thermosensitive manner. Together, our findings emphasize importance thermotolerance wheat. they define highly dynamic SUMOylation-dependent "ON/OFF" senses temperature contributes to crops.