418 / 2019-02-09 11:33:52

Senescence-Associated Ethylene Responsive Factor 1 (SAERF1) functions as a molecular linker between salt stress response and leaf senescence in Arabidopsis

salt stress,leaf senescence,Ethylene Responsive Factor,crop yield

全体主题 > Abiotic Stress

Salinity is one of the primary environmental stresses that promote leaf senescence, which in turn causes severe reduction in crop yield. Enhancing stress tolerance by modulating leaf senescence will provide a promising strategy to improve agricultural productivity. Although many studies have been dedicated to investigating how plants regulate leaf senescence in response to a repertoire of environmental stresses, our knowledge of the intricate regulatory mechanisms that integrates signals from environmental factors into leaf senescence programs is still fragmentary. Here, we characterized Senescence-Associated Ethylene Responsive Factor1 (SAERF1), a ERF family transcription factor in Arabidopsis whose expression is differentially changed during leaf senescence triggered by diverse environmental stresses. SAERF1 negatively regulated leaf senescence induced by oxidative stress and salt stress. Furthermore, SAERF1 conferred salt stress tolerance during various developmental stages including seed germination and vegetative growth stages. SAERF1 was capable of activating the transcription of the reporters in yeast, indicating the potential action of SAERF1 as a transcription activator. Identification of genome-wide targets of SAERF1 revealed that SAERF1 directly bound to the promoters of several salt stress-responsive genes including RD29a. The latest progresses on the molecular mechanisms underlying salt stress-induced leaf senescence through SAERF1 will be further presented.