NbCZF1, a Novel C2H2 Type Zinc Finger Protein, as a New Regulator of SsCut Induced Plant Immunity in Nicotiana benthamiana.
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 C2H2 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 C2H2 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 C2H2 type zinc finger protein in N. benthamiana.
Plant cell physiology