The Arabidopsis tandem CCCH zinc finger proteins AtTZF4, 5 and 6 are involved in light‐, abscisic acid‐ and gibberellic acid‐mediated regulation of seed germination

• Published in: Plant, cell and environment Vol. 36; no. 8; pp. 1507 - 1519
• Main Authors: BOGAMUWA, SRIMATHI, JANG, JYAN‐CHYUN
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Blackwell 01.08.2013; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: ABA; Abscisic Acid - pharmacology; Arabidopsis - cytology; Arabidopsis - drug effects; Arabidopsis - genetics; Arabidopsis - physiology; Arabidopsis Proteins - genetics; Arabidopsis Proteins - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Cytoplasmic Granules; Flowers - cytology; Flowers - drug effects; Flowers - genetics; Flowers - physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Genes, Reporter; Germination; Gibberellins - pharmacology; Models, Biological; Mutation; Organ Specificity; PBs; Plant Dormancy; Plant Growth Regulators - pharmacology; Plant Leaves - cytology; Plant Leaves - drug effects; Plant Leaves - genetics; Plant Leaves - physiology; Plants, Genetically Modified; processing bodies; Seedlings - cytology; Seedlings - drug effects; Seedlings - genetics; Seedlings - physiology; Seeds - cytology; Seeds - drug effects; Seeds - genetics; Seeds - physiology; SGs; stress granules; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism; TZF; Zinc Fingers; ABA; PBs; TZF; Seeds; Zinc finger structure; Arabidopsis thaliana; Cruciferae; Dicotyledones; Sesquiterpenes; Light; Angiospermae; Abscisic acid; Plant growth substance; GA; SGs; Germination; Plant ecology; Gibberellin; Protein; Stress; stress granules; Spermatophyta; Gibberellic acid; processing bodies; Experimental plant
• ISSN: 0140-7791; 1365-3040
• DOI: 10.1111/pce.12084

Tandem CCCH zinc finger proteins (TZFs) are post‐transcriptional regulators of gene expression in animals and yeast. Genetic studies indicate that plant TZFs are involved in hormone‐mediated developmental and environmental responses. We have demonstrated previously that Arabidopsis AtTZF1 can localize to processing bodies (PBs) and stress granules (SGs), and affects abscisic acid (ABA)‐ and gibberellic acid (GA)‐mediated growth, stress and gene expression responses. Here we show that AtTZF4, 5 and 6 are specifically expressed in seeds. Consistent with the observation that their expression levels decline during seed imbibition, AtTZF4, 5 and 6 are up‐regulated by ABA and down‐regulated by GA. Mutant analyses indicate that AtTZF4, 5 and 6 act as positive regulators for ABA‐ and negative regulators for light‐ and GA‐mediated seed germination responses. Results of gene expression analysis indicate that AtTZF4, 5 and 6 affect seed germination by controlling genes critical for ABA and GA response. Furthermore, AtTZF4, 5 and 6 can co‐localize with both PB and SG markers in Arabidopsis cells. Specifically, AtTZF6 can be assembled into PBs and SGs in embryos with the induction of stress hormone methyl jasmonate under the control of native AtTZF6 promoter. This report demonstrates that Processing Bodies (PBs) and Stress Granules (SGs) localized Arabidopsis tandem CCCH zinc finger protein AtTZF4, 5, and 6 are positive regulators for ABA‐ and negative regulators for light‐ and GA‐mediated seed germination responses. AtTZF4, 5, and 6 affect seed germination by controlling genes critical for ABA and GA response.