Developmental and tissue-specific regulation of the gene for the wheat basic/leucine zipper protein HBP-1a(17) in transgenic Arabidopsis plants

BZI-1 specifically heterodimerises with the tobacco bZIP transcription factors BZI-2, BZI-3/TBZF and BZI-4, and is functionally involved in flower development

The tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) protein BZI-1 is closely related to the plant bZIP transcription factors CPRF2, G/HBF-1 and OHP1. Using the C-terminal part of BZI-1, which includes the bZIP domain, as a bait in a yeast two-hybrid screen, three BZI-1 interacting bZIP transcription factors, referred to as BZI-2, BZI-3/TBZF and BZI-4, were isolated. The observed interactions are due to the leucine zipper dimerisation domain and have been found to be specific, in so far as other bZIP transcription factors do not interact with BZI-1. The formation of heterodimers is favoured to homodimerisation. Furthermore, physical protein-protein interaction was confirmed by in vitro binding studies. Expression analysis reveals that BZI-2 mRNA is predominantly located in the stems and parts of the flower. BZI-3/TBZF expression has been observed predominantly in flowers and, to a lesser extent, in the vegetative parts of the plant. In particular, BZI-4 is transcribed specifically in the stamen, the petals and the pistils of the tobacco flower. Since BZI-1 is expressed ubiquitously in tobacco plants, co-localisation with BZI-2, BZI-3/TBZF or BZI-4 might influence BZI-1 heterodimerisation and consequently target gene selection. Analysis of transgenic plants displaying changes in BZI-1 protein level revealed that BZI-1 regulates BZI-4 expression. Moreover, a reduction in functional BZI-1 protein resulted in flowers having a reduced size; in particular, the stamen and the petals are affected. Consequently, BZI-1 homo- or heterodimers are involved in the control of the size of the organs of flowers. Based on these data, we discuss a model postulating BZI transcription factor heterodimerisation as a mechanism determining target gene selection and regulating processes involved in plant development.

Transcription factors and their genes in higher plants functional domains, evolution and regulation

A typical plant transcription factor contains, with few exceptions, a DNA-binding region, an oligomerization site, a transcription-regulation domain, and a nuclear localization signal. Most transcription factors exhibit only one type of DNA-binding and oligomerization domain, occasionally in multiple copies, but some contain two distinct types. DNA-binding regions are normally adjacent to or overlap with oligomerization sites, and their combined tertiary structure determines critical aspects of transcription factor activity. Pairs of nuclear localization signals exist in several transcription factors, and basic amino acid residues play essential roles in their function, a property also true for DNA-binding domains. Multigene families encode transcription factors, with members either dispersed in the genome or clustered on the same chromosome. Distribution and sequence analyses suggest that transcription factor families evolved via gene duplication, exon capture, translocation, and mutation. The expression of transcription factor genes in plants is regulated at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels, while the activity of their protein products is modulated post-translationally. The purpose of this review is to describe the domain structure of plant transcription factors, and to relate this information to processes that control the synthesis and action of these proteins.

Abscisic acid-dependent and -independent expression of the carrot late-embryogenesis-abundant-class gene Dc3 in transgenic tobacco seedlings

We studied the expression of three promoter 5' deletion constructs (-218, -599, and -1312) of the LEA (late embryogenesis abundant)-class gene Dc3 fused to beta-glucuronidase (GUS), where each construct value refers to the number of base pairs upstream of the transcription start site at which the deletion occurred. The Dc3 gene is noted for its induction by abscisic acid (ABA), but its response to other plant hormones and various environmental stresses has not been reported previously for vegetative cells. Fourteen-day-old transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) seedlings were exposed to dehydration, hypoxia, salinity, exogenous ethylene, or exogenous methyl jasmonate (MeJa). GUS activity was quantified fluorimetrically and expression was observed by histochemical staining of the seedlings. An increase in GUS activity was observed in plants with constructs -599 and -1312 in response to dehydration and salinity within 6 h of stress, and at 12 h in response to hypoxia. No increase in endogenous ABA was found in any of the three lines, even after 72 h of hypoxia. An ABA-independent increase in GUS activity was observed when endogenous ABA biosynthesis was blocked by fluridone and plants were exposed to 5 &mgr;L L-1 ethylene in air or 100 &mgr;M MeJa. Virtually no expression was observed in construct -218 in response to dehydration, salinity, or MeJa, but there was a moderate response to ethylene and hypoxia. This suggests that the region between -218 and -599 is necessary for ABA (dehydration and salinity)- and MeJa-dependent expression, whereas ethylene-mediated expression does not require this region of the promoter.

Two bZIP proteins from Antirrhinum flowers preferentially bind a hybrid C-box/G-box motif and help to define a new sub-family of bZIP transcription factors

Two genes encoding bZIP proteins are expressed in flowers of Antirrhinum majus, predominantly in vascular tissues, carpels and anthers. The sequences of cDNA clones encoding these proteins show them to belong to a distinct sub-family of bZIP proteins which also includes LIP19 from rice and MLIPI5 and OBF1 from maize. The sub-family is characterized by the inclusion of very small proteins consisting of essentially a basic domain and a long leucine zipper. Members also have a conserved upstream open reading frame (uORF) in their 5' leader sequences, implying a common mode of post-transcriptional control. In vitro, the Antirrinum bZIP proteins preferentially bind to a novel hybrid C-box/G-box motif which is found in the promoters of some plant histone genes and of some nuclear-encoded genes with plastidial protein products. Expression of the bZIP proteins in transgenic tobacco under control of the CaMV 35S promoter supports the view that they can regulate expression of genes which contain the preferred target motif within their regulatory sequences, although both enhancement and repression of transcript levels of target genes were observed, indicating that the bZIP proteins probably interact with other factors to modulate transcription in different ways, as has been observed for the small MAF family of bZIP proteins in vertebrates.

Light regulated transcription in higher plants

Studies on the function of plant promoters have demonstrated the presence of regulatorycis-acting elements that mediate developmental or environmental signals. Analysis of many light-responsive genes showed thatcis-acting elements responsible for light regulated transcription are located within the 5' upstream region. Numerous light responsivecis-acting elements andtrans-acting factors have been identified and characterized. The present article reviews the recent advances in studies of light regulated transcriptional regulation and signal transduction.