Long noncoding RNA ARTA controls ABA response through MYB7 nuclear trafficking in Arabidopsis

In eukaryotes, transcription factors are a crucial element in the regulation of gene expression, and nuclear translocation is the key to the function of transcription factors. Here, we show that the long intergenic noncoding RNA ARTA interacts with an importin β-like protein, SAD2, through a long noncoding RNA-binding region embedded in the carboxyl terminal, and then it blocks the import of the transcription factor MYB7 into the nucleus. Abscisic acid (ABA)-induced ARTA expression can positively regulate ABI5 expression by fine-tuning MYB7 nuclear trafficking. Therefore, the mutation of arta represses ABI5 expression, resulting in desensitization to ABA, thereby reducing Arabidopsis drought tolerance. Our results demonstrate that lncRNA can hijack a nuclear trafficking receptor to modulate the nuclear import of a transcription factor during plant responses to environmental stimuli.