Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 20, 2026

A Flexible Low Cost Hydroponic System for Assessing Plant Responses to Small Molecules in Sterile Conditions
Published on: August 25, 2018
Dual function of Arabidopsis ATAF1 in abiotic and biotic stress responses
Yaorong Wu1, Zhiyong Deng, Jianbin Lai
1State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, National Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China.
Abstract:
NAC family genes encode plant-specific transcription factors involved in diverse biological processes. In this study, the Arabidopsis NAC gene ATAF1 was found to be induced by drought, high-salinity, abscisic acid (ABA), methyl jasmonate, mechanical wounding, and Botrytis cinerea infection. Significant induction of ATAF1 was found in an ABA-deficient mutant aba2 subjected to drought or high salinity, revealing an ABA-independent mechanism of expression. Arabidopsis ATAF1-overexpression lines displayed many altered phenotypes, including dwarfism and short primary roots. Furthermore, in vivo experiments indicate that ATAF1 is a bona fide regulator modulating plant responses to many abiotic stresses and necrotrophic-pathogen infection. Overexpression of ATAF1 in Arabidopsis increased plant sensitivity to ABA, salt, and oxidative stresses. Especially, ATAF1 overexpression plants, but not mutant lines, showed remarkably enhanced plant tolerance to drought. Additionally, ATAF1 overexpression enhanced plant susceptibility to the necrotrophic pathogen B. cinerea, but did not alter disease symptoms caused by avirulent or virulent strains of P. syringae pv tomato DC3000. Transgenic plants overexpressing ATAF1 were hypersensitive to oxidative stress, suggesting that reactive oxygen intermediates may be related to ATAF1-mediated signaling in response to both pathogen and abiotic stresses.
Related Concept Videos
Cell Signaling in Plants
Transcription
Transcription is the process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA sequence by RNA polymerase. It is the first step in producing a protein from a gene sequence. Additionally, many other proteins and regulatory sequences are involved in the proper synthesis of messenger RNA (mRNA). Regulation of transcription is responsible for the differentiation of all the different types of cells and often for the proper cellular response to environmental signals.
Transcription Can Produce Different Kinds...
Responses to Heat and Cold Stress
Responses to Drought and Flooding
Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss
Regulation of Transpiration by Stomata

