A Dual-Function Transcription Factor, AtYY1, Is a Novel Negative Regulator of the Arabidopsis ABA Response Network

• Published in: Molecular plant 2016-05, Vol.9 (5), p.650-661
• Main Authors: Li, Tian, Wu, Xiu-Yun, Li, Hui, Song, Jian-Hui, Liu, Jin-Yuan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ABA response; ABI4; ABR1; Abscisic Acid - pharmacology; Arabidopsis - drug effects; Arabidopsis - genetics; Arabidopsis - metabolism; Arabidopsis Proteins - genetics; Arabidopsis Proteins - metabolism; AtYY1; Droughts; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; negative regulator; Plant Growth Regulators - pharmacology; Plants, Genetically Modified - drug effects; Plants, Genetically Modified - genetics; Plants, Genetically Modified - metabolism; Sodium Chloride - pharmacology; Stress, Physiological; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism; YY1 Transcription Factor - genetics; YY1 Transcription Factor - metabolism
• ISSN: 1674-2052; 1752-9867
• DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2016.02.010

Abscisic acid （ABA） plays crucial roles in plant growth and development, as well as in response to various environmental stresses. To date, many regulatory genes involved in the ABA response network have been identified; however, their roles have remained to be fully elucidated. In this study, we iden- tified AtYY1, an Arabidopsis homolog of the mammalian C2H2 zinc-finger transcription factor Yin Yang 1 （YY1）, as a novel negative regulator of the ABA response. AtYY1 is a dual-function transcription factor with both repression and activation domains. The expression of AtYY1 was induced by ABA and stress conditions including high salt and dehydration. The yyl mutant was more sensitive to ABA and NaCI than the wild-type, while overexpressing AtYY1 plants were less sensitive. AtYY1 loss also enhanced ABA-induced stomatal closing and drought resistance. Moreover, AtYYI can bind the ABA REPRESSOR1 （ABR1） promoter and directly upregulate ABR1 expression, as well as negatively regulate ABA- and saR-responsive gene expression. Additional analysis indicated that ABA INSENSITIVE4 （ABI4） might positively regulate AtYY1 expression and that ABR1 can antagonize this regulation. Our findings provide direct evidence that AtYY1 is a novel negative regulator of the ABA response network and that the ABI4-AtYY1-ABR1 regulatory pathway may fine-tune ABA-responsive gene expression in Arabidopsis.