Nitric Oxide Sensing in Plants Is Mediated by Proteolytic Control of Group VII ERF Transcription Factors

• DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2013.12.020
• Publication Date: 2014-01-23T16:01:50Z
• Authors: Daniel J. Gibbs; Nurulhikma Md Isa; Mahsa Movahedi; Jorge Lozano-Juste; Guillermina M. Me...; Sophie Berckhan; Nora Marín-de la ...; Jorge Vicente Conde; Cristina Sousa Co...; Simon P. Pearce; George W. Bassel; Bulut Hamali; Prabhavathi Talloji; Daniel F.A. Tomé; Alberto Coego; Jim Beynon; David Alabadí; Andreas Bachmair; José León; Julie E. Gray; Frederica L. Theo...; Michael J. Holdsw...
• Keywords: Crosstalk; Proteolysis

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important signaling compound in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. In plants, NO regulates critical developmental transitions stress responses. Here, we identify a mechanism for sensing that coordinates responses throughout development based on targeted degradation of plant-specific transcriptional regulators, the group VII ethylene response factors (ERFs). We show N-end rule pathway proteolysis targets these proteins destruction presence NO, establish them as regulators diverse NO-regulated processes, including seed germination, stomatal closure, hypocotyl elongation. Furthermore, define molecular control germination crosstalk with abscisic acid (ABA) through ERF-regulated expression ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE5 (ABI5). Our work demonstrates how integrated across multiple physiological processes by direct modulation transcription factor stability identifies ERFs central hubs perception gaseous signals plants.