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

Abstract

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 CH-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 CH-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 CH-type zinc finger protein in N. benthamiana.

The Arabidopsis small G‐protein AtRAN1 is a positive regulator in chitin‐induced stomatal closure and disease resistance

“…This result suggests that chitin-induced AtRAN1mediated stomatal closure and resistance to pathogens may be related to Rboh-dependent ROS accumulation and NIA-dependent NO accumulation. Our previous work and this study indicate that elicitors with different origins can induce ROS and NO production (Zhang et al, 2010(Zhang et al, , 2014(Zhang et al, , 2016a(Zhang et al, , 2016b. Therefore, these results indicate that intracellular ROS and NO accumulation is shared among all signalling pathways in guard cells, and signalling components such as AtRAN1 mediate the intracellular accumulation of ROS and NO in guard cells.…”

Fasciclin-like arabinogalactan gene family in Nicotiana benthamiana: genome-wide identification, classification and expression in response to pathogens

“…Previous studies have demonstrated the role of TFs in regulating plant immunity. NbCZF1, a novel C2H2-Type zinc finger protein, is a regulator of plant defense [39] and VvDOF3 enhances powdery mildew resistance in Vitis vinifera [40]. In addition, AtMyb15 and MdMyb30 also participate in enhancing disease resistance [41,42].…”

Apoplastic Cell Death-Inducing Proteins of Filamentous Plant Pathogens: Roles in Plant-Pathogen Interactions

“…SsCut1 induced cell death in both dicot and monocot species and activated plant resistance against S. sclerotiorum , P. nicotianae and Phytophthora soja e ( Zhang H. et al, 2014 ). Further, SsCut1-induced cell death along with stomatal closure, ROS burst and NO production, was suppressed by silencing of a C 2 H 2 -type zinc finger gene NbCZF1 in N. benthamiana , showing that SsCut1-triggered defense could be mediated by NbCZF1-ROS-NO pathway ( Zhang et al, 2016 ). VdCUT11 induced cell death and defense responses in N. benthamiana , cotton, and tomato plants, and the enzymatic activity was required for its cell death-inducing activity ( Gui et al, 2018 ).…”