NbCZF1, a Novel C2H2-Type Zinc Finger Protein, as a New Regulator of SsCut-Induced Plant Immunity in Nicotiana benthamiana

• Published in: Plant and cell physiology Vol. 57; no. 12; pp. 2472 - 2484
• Main Authors: Zhang, Huajian, Zhao, Tongyao, Zhuang, Peitong, Song, Zhiqiang, Du, Hui, Tang, Zhaozhao, Gao, Zhimou
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan 01.12.2016
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Cell Death; CYS2-HIS2 Zinc Fingers; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Gene Silencing; Nicotiana - cytology; Nicotiana - genetics; Nicotiana - immunology; Nicotiana - physiology; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; Phylogeny; Phytophthora - physiology; Plant Diseases - immunology; Plant Immunity; Plant Leaves - cytology; Plant Leaves - genetics; Plant Leaves - immunology; Plant Leaves - physiology; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Plant Stomata - cytology; Plant Stomata - genetics; Plant Stomata - immunology; Plant Stomata - physiology; Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism; Sequence Alignment; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Signal Transduction; Stomatal closure; Hypersensitive response; SsCut; Elicitor; Plant defense
• ISSN: 1471-9053
• DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcw160

SsCut, which functions as an elicitor, can induce plant immunity. In this study, we utilized Nicotiana benthamiana and virus-induced gene silencing to decrease the expression of > 2,500 genes individually. Using this forward genetics approach, several genes were identified that, when silenced, compromised SsCut-triggered cell death based on a cell death assay. A C H -type zinc finger gene was isolated from N. benthamiana Sequence analysis indicated that the gene encodes a 27 kDa protein with 253 amino acids containing two typical C H -type zinc finger domains; this gene was named NbCZF1 We found that SsCut-induced cell death could be inhibited by virus-induced gene silencing of NbCZF1 in N. benthamiana In addition, SsCut induces stomatal closure, accompanied by reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by NADPH oxidases and nitric oxide (NO) production. NbCZF1-silenced plants showed impaired SsCut-induced stomatal closure, decreased SsCut-induced production of ROS and NO in guard cells and reduced SsCut-induced resistance against Phytophthora nicotianae Taken together, these results demonstrate that the NbCZF1-ROS-NO pathway mediates multiple SsCut-triggered responses, including stomatal closure, hypersensitive responses and defense-related gene expression. This is the first report describing the function of a C H -type zinc finger protein in N. benthamiana.