Knock-down of a RING finger gene confers cold tolerance

The plant-specific RING-domain finger proteins play important roles in plant development and stress responses. We recently identified and functionally characterized a stress-induced gene OsSRFP1 (Oryza sativa Stress-related RING Finger Protein 1) from rice. We showed evidences of the biotechnological potential of the suppression of OsSRFP1 expression in conferring cold tolerance. The increased cold tolerance of OsSRFP1 knock-down plants was associated with higher amounts of free proline and activities of antioxidant enzymes. In vitro ubiquitination assays showed that OsSRFP1 possessed E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. Some predicted interacting partners of OsSRFP1 might be the substrates for OsSRFP1-mediated protein degradation. Interestingly, OsSRFP1 had trans-activation activity, suggesting the dual roles of OsSRFP1 in post-translational and transcriptional regulations in stress responses.