Melatonin induces the transcripts of CBF/DREB1s and their involvement in both abiotic and biotic stresses in Arabidopsis

Melatonin (N‐acetyl‐5‐methoxytryptamine) is a naturally occurring small molecule that acts as an important secondary messenger in plant stress responses. However, the mechanism underlying the melatonin‐mediated signaling pathway in plant stress responses has not been established. C‐repeat‐binding fa...

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Published in:Journal of pineal research 2015-10, Vol.59 (3), p.334-342
Main Authors: Shi, Haitao, Qian, Yongqiang, Tan, Dun-Xian, Reiter, Russel J., He, Chaozu
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
abiotic and biotic stresses
Arabidopsis
Arabidopsis - drug effects
Arabidopsis - genetics
Arabidopsis Proteins - genetics
CBF/DREB1s
Droughts
Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
melatonin
Melatonin - pharmacology
Plants, Genetically Modified - drug effects
Plants, Genetically Modified - genetics
transcription factor
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Summary:Melatonin (N‐acetyl‐5‐methoxytryptamine) is a naturally occurring small molecule that acts as an important secondary messenger in plant stress responses. However, the mechanism underlying the melatonin‐mediated signaling pathway in plant stress responses has not been established. C‐repeat‐binding factors (CBFs)/Drought response element Binding 1 factors (DREB1s) encode transcription factors that play important roles in plant stress responses. This study has determined that endogenous melatonin and transcripts level of CBFs (AtCBF1, AtCBF2, and AtCBF3) in Arabidopsis leaves were significantly induced by salt, drought, and cold stresses and by pathogen Pseudomonas syringe pv. tomato (Pst) DC3000 infection. Moreover, both exogenous melatonin treatment and overexpression of CBFs conferred enhanced resistance to both abiotic and biotic stresses in Arabidopsis. Notably, AtCBFs and exogenous melatonin treatment positively regulated the mRNA expression of several stress‐responsive genes (COR15A, RD22, and KIN1) and accumulation of soluble sugars content such as sucrose in Arabidopsis under control and stress conditions. Additionally, exogenous sucrose also conferred improved resistance to both abiotic and biotic stresses in Arabidopsis. Taken together, this study indicates that AtCBFs confer enhanced resistance to both abiotic and biotic stresses, and AtCBF‐mediated signaling pathway and sugar accumulation may be involved in melatonin‐mediated stress response in Arabidopsis, at least partially.
ISSN:0742-3098
1600-079X
DOI:10.1111/jpi.12262