Tomato TERF1 modulates ethylene response and enhances osmotic stress tolerance by activating expression of downstream genes

Abstract

The interaction between ethylene and osmotic stress pathways modulates the expression of the genes relating to stress adaptation; however, the mechanism is not well understood. In this paper, we report a novel ethylene responsive factor, tomato ethylene responsive factor 1 (TERF1), that integrates ethylene and osmotic stress pathways. Biochemical analysis indicated that TERF1 binds to the GCC box (an element responsive to ethylene) and to the dehydration responsive element, which is responsive to the osmoticum. Expression of TERF1 was induced by ethylene and NaCl treatment. Under normal growth conditions, overexpression of TERF1 in tobacco activated the expression of GCC box-containing pathogen related genes and also caused the typical ethylene triple response. Further investigation indicated that transgenic TERF1 tobacco exhibited salt tolerance, suggesting that TERF1 might function as a linker between the ethylene and osmotic stress pathways.