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Zhang Z, Qu J, Lu M, Zhao X, Xu Y, Wang L, Liu Z, Shi Y, Liu C, Li Y, Wang C, Xu M, Nan Z, Cao Q, Pan J, Liu W, Li X, Sun Q, Wang W. The maize transcription factor CCT regulates drought tolerance by interacting with Fra a 1, E3 ligase WIPF2, and auxin response factor Aux/IAA8. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2024; 75:103-122. [PMID: 37725963 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
Plants are commonly exposed to abiotic stressors, which can affect their growth, productivity, and quality. Previously, the maize transcription factor ZmCCT was shown to be involved in the photoperiod response, delayed flowering, and quantitative resistance to Gibberella stalk rot. In this study, we demonstrate that ZmCCT can regulate plant responses to drought. ZmCCT physically interacted with ZmFra a 1, ZmWIPF2, and ZmAux/IAA8, which localized to the cell membrane, cytoplasm, and nucleus, respectively, both in vitro and in vivo in a yeast two-hybrid screen in response to abiotic stress. Notably, ZmCCT recruits ZmWIPF2 to the nucleus, which has strong E3 self-ubiquitination activity dependent on its RING-H2 finger domain in vitro. When treated with higher indole-3-acetic acid/abscisic acid ratios, the height and root length of Y331-ΔTE maize plants increased. Y331-ΔTE plants exhibited increased responses to exogenously applied auxin or ABA compared to Y331 plants, indicating that ZmCCT may be a negative regulator of ABA signalling in maize. In vivo, ZmCCT promoted indole-3-acetic acid biosynthesis in ZmCCT-overexpressing Arabidopsis. RNA-sequencing and DNA affinity purification-sequencing analyses showed that ZmCCT can regulate the expression of ZmRD17, ZmAFP3, ZmPP2C, and ZmARR16 under drought. Our findings provide a detailed overview of the molecular mechanism controlling ZmCCT functions and highlight that ZmCCT has multiple roles in promoting abiotic stress tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoheng Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Technology in Agricultural Application, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Plant Production Education, College of Plant Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Jiayue Qu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Technology in Agricultural Application, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Plant Production Education, College of Plant Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Min Lu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Technology in Agricultural Application, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Plant Production Education, College of Plant Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyu Zhao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Technology in Agricultural Application, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Plant Production Education, College of Plant Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Xu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Technology in Agricultural Application, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Plant Production Education, College of Plant Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Li Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Technology in Agricultural Application, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Plant Production Education, College of Plant Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Zhongjia Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Technology in Agricultural Application, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Plant Production Education, College of Plant Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Yingying Shi
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Technology in Agricultural Application, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Plant Production Education, College of Plant Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Chaotian Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Technology in Agricultural Application, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Plant Production Education, College of Plant Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Yipu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, National Maize Improvement Center, Center for Crop Functional Genomics and Molecular Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- Agricultural College, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Chao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, National Maize Improvement Center, Center for Crop Functional Genomics and Molecular Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Mingliang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, National Maize Improvement Center, Center for Crop Functional Genomics and Molecular Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhangjie Nan
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Technology in Agricultural Application, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Plant Production Education, College of Plant Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Qingqin Cao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Technology in Agricultural Application, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Plant Production Education, College of Plant Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Jinbao Pan
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Technology in Agricultural Application, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Plant Production Education, College of Plant Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Wende Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xinrui Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Technology in Agricultural Application, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Plant Production Education, College of Plant Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Qingpeng Sun
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Technology in Agricultural Application, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Plant Production Education, College of Plant Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Weixiang Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Technology in Agricultural Application, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Plant Production Education, College of Plant Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China
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