Mini Review, J Plant Physiol Pathol Vol: 12 Issue: 4

A Rice bZIP Transcription Factor Regulates Duf630/632 Domain Protein in Response to Drought Stress

Jianfu Zhang^1*, Yunjie Xie, Xiangzhen Yu

¹Department of Agriculture, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou, China

*Corresponding Author: Jianfu Zhang,
Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou, China
E-mail: jianfzhang@163.com

Received date: 03 August, 2024, Manuscript No. JPPP-24-144349;

Editor assigned date: 05 August, 2024, Pre QC No. JPPP-24-144349 (PQ);

Reviewed date: 20 August, 2024, QC No. JPPP-24-144349;

Revised date: 28 August, 2024, Manuscript No. JPPP-24-144349 (R);

Published date: 05 September, 2024, DOI: 10.4172/2329-955X.1000361

Citation: Zhang J, Xie Y, Yu X (2024) A Rice bZIP Transcription Factor Regulates Duf630/632 Domain Protein in Response to Drought Stress. J Plant Physiol Pathol 12:4.

Abstract

Keywords: Transcription factor; bZIP family; DUF domain; ROS; Drought tolerance

Introduction

The increasing frequency and intensity of droughts due to the changing global climate pose a serious threat to the stability of agricultural production. Cultivation of drought-tolerant crops is an important strategy to improve the disaster resistance ability of agricultural production, ensure food supply, and realize resource conservation and environmental friendliness. In recent years, drought tolerance genes in plants have been discovered one after another and the molecular mechanisms of drought tolerance regulation have been gradually revealed. It mainly involves the activity of transcription factors, which act as switches responsible for “turning on” or “off” downstream target genes, and can also activate other transcription factors through cascades, forming complex signal networks, so that plants adapt to water shortage environment.

Plant response to drought is multi-pathway and the bZIP, Dehydration Responsive Element-Binding (DREB), DOF, Heat Shock Transcription Factors (HSF), Myeloblastosis (MYB), No Apical Meristem (NAC), Tricalcium Phosphate (TCP), WRKY and AP2/ERF family members act as key regulatory factors [1,2]. MYB and NAC transcription factors are widely involved in growth and development and stress response. For example, MYB46 has been found to regulate cell wall biosynthesis-related genes, and may be involved in drought tolerance with DREB1D [3,4]; ANAC019 and NtNAC053 regulate multiple target genes in drought response [5-7]. Some AP2/ERF transcription factors, such as P to ERF15, play a key role in response to ethylene and drought, affecting plant resistance to retroactivity. Members of the bZIP family plays an important role in abiotic stress ABA signaling pathway in plants, often binding the ABA-Responsive Elements (ABREs) containing an Adenine, Cytosine, Guanine and Thymine (ACGT) core motif, or the G-box motif [8-11]. In Arabidopsis, AREB1, AREB2, ABF3 and ABF1 belong to the group. A bZIP proteins, all of which play an integral role in ABA signaling response to drought stress [12-14]. In pepper plants, CaDILZ1, a member of subgroup D of the bZIP protein family, interacts with the RING finger protein CaDSR1, and involve in the ABA-mediated drought stress signaling pathway [15]. There are also multiple bZIP transcription factors that function together to cope with drought stress. For example, TaFDL2-1A and TabZIP8-7A, two bZIP transcription factors in wheat, can form transcriptional activation complex that synergistically promotes the expression of ABA-induced genes in response to drought stress [16]. In rice, OsbZIP71 directly binds to the promoters of abiotic stress-related genes OsNHX1 and COR413-TM1, and OsbZIP72 directly binds to the promoters of the high-affinity potassium transporter gene OsHKT1 and Sugars will eventually be exported transporter genes OsSWEETs, to regulate their expression separately, thereby maintaining the stability of plants under drought and salt stress [17,18]. Recently, our team discovered another target gene of the transcription factor OsbZIP72, OsBBP1, which positively regulates drought tolerance in rice [19].

OsbZIP72 binds to the promoter of OsBBP1

We screened the downstream target genes of OsbZIP72 by Chip-seq technology, and OsBBP1 was captured as a target candidate gene by enrichment analysis. Subsequently, it was verified that OsbZIP72 could directly bind to the ACGT motif in the OsBBP1 promoter region by yeast one-hybrid and EMSA assays. Meanwhile, OsBBP1 expression was observed in overexpressing OsbZIP72 rice plants and further verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. It was found that OsbZIP72 could positively regulate the expression of target gene OsBBP1. Although there may still be multiple targets that have not been verified in our Chip-seq data results, we can speculate that OsbZIP72 is a transcription factor with multiple regulatory networks, including the existing reports on OsbZIP72.

OsBBP1 confers rice resistance to drought stress by regulating the accumulation of ROS

OsBBP1 is a typical Domain of Unknown Function (DUF) protein with a DUF630 domain at its N-terminal and a DUF632 domain at its C-terminal and OsBBP1 is distributed in both the nucleus and cytoplasm, where the DUF632 domain contributes to its localization in the cytoplasm. We found that OsBBP1 was induced by PEG and ABA, suggesting that this gene may be involved in abiotic stress. On the premise of verifying that the drought tolerance of rice was reduced after knocking out OsbZIP72, we identified the drought resistance of target OsBBP1 in nippon bare variety. The OsBBP1 transgenic plants were subjected to PEG treatment and drought treatment in soil, respectively. The results showed that could positively regulate rice drought tolerance. Under drought condition, OsBBP1 can promote the expression of ROS scavenging-related gene APX2, APX7, POD, CATB and CATC, and improve the activities of Catalase (CAT) and Peroxidase (POD), suggesting that the antioxidant reaction was enhanced to reduce excessive ROS accumulation, thus improving the survival rate of plants. Not only that, but we also conduct field trials. Under normal condition, OsBBP1 did not affect rice yield, but under field drought treatment, OsBBP1 could enhance the ability of plants to resist water shortage and reduce the loss of rice yield.

Discussion

This study reveals another pathway by which OsbZIP72 regulates rice drought tolerance, providing scientific basis for bZIP transcription factor family to regulate DUF domain protein, and also deepens the understanding of DUF domain protein responding to stress. OsBBP1 has two DUF domains, and belongs to a typical DUF630/632 domain protein. Rice Stomata Developmental Defect (RSD1)/ Rolled and ERect LEaf (REL2), also belonging to the DUF630/632 domain protein, affects stomatal development and is closely related to water loss in plants under dehydration stress [20,21]. Although OsBBP1 and RSD1/REL2 have similar protein domains, the molecular mechanisms for coping with drought are different. With the continuous excavation of DUF domain proteins, the discovery of these proteins in response to stress, especially drought, has been reported, such as NtDUF868 genes in Nicotiana, AtRDUF1 and AtRDUF2 in Arabidopsis, OsDUF668 genes and OsDUF810.7 in rice [22-25]. Overall, the researchers have identified the importance of DUF domain proteins in plants, which may be potential targets in crop drought resistance breeding in the future.

Conclusion

However, the current research progress in this field is very limited and the interesting questions remain to be addressed, including but not limited to: (1) there are many types and quantities of DUF domain protein in plants, whether they are widely present in the downstream of abiotic stress regulators bZIP, DREB, DOF, HSF, MYB, etc., to regulate plant drought tolerance; (2) it is only revealed that DUF domain proteins are involved in regulating plant drought tolerance functionally, but the specific regulatory pathways are still unclear. For example, how do DUF domain proteins affect the accumulation of ROS in plants; and (3) at present, the differences between single DUF domain protein and double DUF domain protein are still vague.

In general, under drought condition, the transcription factor OsbZIP72 can bind to the promoter of the target OsBBP1, to promote the expression of the latter, and finally improve the drought tolerance of rice by regulating the accumulation of ROS. This study provides direct evidence that the member of DUF family participates in bZIPmediated drought resistance pathway.

Funding

The work was supported by the National Rice Industry Technology System of Modern Agriculture for China (grant no. CARS-01-20), the “5511” collaborative innovation project for high-quality development and surpasses of agriculture between the Government of Fujian and Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (grant no. XTCXGC2021001), the special foundation of non-profit research Institutes of Fujian Province (grant no. 2020R1023008) and free exploration of scientific and technological innovation project from Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences (grant no. ZYTS202403)

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