MeJA-responsive bHLH transcription factor LjbHLH7 regulates cyanogenic glucoside biosynthesis in Lotus japonicus
2022年03月31日 14:07

DOI:10.1093/jxb/erac026

链接:https://academic.oup.com/jxb/advance-article/doi/10.1093/jxb/erac026/6515710

发表期刊:Journal of Experimental Botany

Cheng Chen1, Fu Liu1, Kaixuan Zhang1, Xiaolei Niu, Hui Zhao, Qiuxu Liu, Milen I. Georgiev, Xiaoheng Xu, Xinquan Zhang*, Meiliang Zhou*.

Abstract:

Cyanogenic glucosides (CNglcs) play an important role in plant defense response; however, the mechanism of regulation of CNglc synthesis by the external environment and endogenous hormones is largely unclear. In this study, we found that jasmonates (JAs) promoted the synthesis of CNglcs by activating the expression of CNglc biosynthesis genes in Lotus japonicus. Several differentially expressed basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) family genes related to the synthesis of CNglcs were identified by RNA-seq. LjbHLH7 can directly activate the expression ofCYP79D3gene, the first step of CNglc synthesis, by binding to the G-box sequence of its promoter. Transgenic plants overexpressing LjbHLH7exhibited higher relative CNglc content and enhanced insect resistance compared with the wild type. Furthermore, the transcriptional activity of LjbHLH7 was suppressed by the interaction with theL. japonicusJASMONATE-ZIM DOMAIN protein LjJAZ4. Based on these results, we propose that LjbHLH7 acts as an activator and LjJAZ4 acts as a repressor of JA-induced regulation of CNglc biosynthesis inL. japonicus.