The Sunflower WRINKLED1 Transcription Factor Regulates Fatty Acid Biosynthesis Genes through an AW Box Binding Sequence with a Particular Base Bias
Sunflower is an important oilseed crop in which the biochemical pathways leading to seed oil synthesis and accumulation have been widely studied. However, how these pathways are regulated is less well understood. The WRINKLED1 (WRI1) transcription factor is considered a key regulator in the control...
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MDPI AG
2022-04-01
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Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/7/972 |
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author | Rosario Sánchez Irene González-Thuillier Mónica Venegas-Calerón Rafael Garcés Joaquín J. Salas Enrique Martínez-Force |
author_facet | Rosario Sánchez Irene González-Thuillier Mónica Venegas-Calerón Rafael Garcés Joaquín J. Salas Enrique Martínez-Force |
author_sort | Rosario Sánchez |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Sunflower is an important oilseed crop in which the biochemical pathways leading to seed oil synthesis and accumulation have been widely studied. However, how these pathways are regulated is less well understood. The WRINKLED1 (WRI1) transcription factor is considered a key regulator in the control of triacylglycerol biosynthesis, acting through the AW box binding element (CNTNG(N)<sub>7</sub>CG). Here, we identified the sunflower <i>WRI1</i> gene and characterized its activity in electrophoretic mobility shift assays. We studied its role as a co-regulator of sunflower genes involved in plastidial fatty acid synthesis. Sunflower WRI1-targets included genes encoding the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, the α-CT and BCCP genes, genes encoding ACPs and the fatty acid synthase complex, together with the <i>FATA1</i> gene. As such, sunflower WRI1 regulates genes involved in seed plastidial fatty acid biosynthesis in a coordinated manner, establishing a WRI1 push and pull strategy that drives oleic acid synthesis for its export into the cytosol. We also determined the base bias at the N positions in the active sunflower AW box motif. The sunflower AW box is sequence-sensitive at the non-conserved positions, enabling WRI1-binding. Moreover, sunflower WRI1 could bind to a non-canonical AW-box motif, opening the possibility of searching for new target genes. |
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issn | 2223-7747 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:30:11Z |
publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
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series | Plants |
spelling | doaj.art-0a175b00fdac433ab98a15560fc011b42023-11-30T23:51:39ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472022-04-0111797210.3390/plants11070972The Sunflower WRINKLED1 Transcription Factor Regulates Fatty Acid Biosynthesis Genes through an AW Box Binding Sequence with a Particular Base BiasRosario Sánchez0Irene González-Thuillier1Mónica Venegas-Calerón2Rafael Garcés3Joaquín J. Salas4Enrique Martínez-Force5Instituto de la Grasa (CSIC), Pablo de Olavide University Campus, Building 46, Carretera de Utrera km 1, 41013 Seville, SpainInstituto de la Grasa (CSIC), Pablo de Olavide University Campus, Building 46, Carretera de Utrera km 1, 41013 Seville, SpainInstituto de la Grasa (CSIC), Pablo de Olavide University Campus, Building 46, Carretera de Utrera km 1, 41013 Seville, SpainInstituto de la Grasa (CSIC), Pablo de Olavide University Campus, Building 46, Carretera de Utrera km 1, 41013 Seville, SpainInstituto de la Grasa (CSIC), Pablo de Olavide University Campus, Building 46, Carretera de Utrera km 1, 41013 Seville, SpainInstituto de la Grasa (CSIC), Pablo de Olavide University Campus, Building 46, Carretera de Utrera km 1, 41013 Seville, SpainSunflower is an important oilseed crop in which the biochemical pathways leading to seed oil synthesis and accumulation have been widely studied. However, how these pathways are regulated is less well understood. The WRINKLED1 (WRI1) transcription factor is considered a key regulator in the control of triacylglycerol biosynthesis, acting through the AW box binding element (CNTNG(N)<sub>7</sub>CG). Here, we identified the sunflower <i>WRI1</i> gene and characterized its activity in electrophoretic mobility shift assays. We studied its role as a co-regulator of sunflower genes involved in plastidial fatty acid synthesis. Sunflower WRI1-targets included genes encoding the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, the α-CT and BCCP genes, genes encoding ACPs and the fatty acid synthase complex, together with the <i>FATA1</i> gene. As such, sunflower WRI1 regulates genes involved in seed plastidial fatty acid biosynthesis in a coordinated manner, establishing a WRI1 push and pull strategy that drives oleic acid synthesis for its export into the cytosol. We also determined the base bias at the N positions in the active sunflower AW box motif. The sunflower AW box is sequence-sensitive at the non-conserved positions, enabling WRI1-binding. Moreover, sunflower WRI1 could bind to a non-canonical AW-box motif, opening the possibility of searching for new target genes.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/7/972<i>Helianthus annuus</i>fatty acid biosynthesisWRINKLED1 (WRI1) transcription factorAW box binding sequenceelectrophoretic mobility shift assay |
spellingShingle | Rosario Sánchez Irene González-Thuillier Mónica Venegas-Calerón Rafael Garcés Joaquín J. Salas Enrique Martínez-Force The Sunflower WRINKLED1 Transcription Factor Regulates Fatty Acid Biosynthesis Genes through an AW Box Binding Sequence with a Particular Base Bias Plants <i>Helianthus annuus</i> fatty acid biosynthesis WRINKLED1 (WRI1) transcription factor AW box binding sequence electrophoretic mobility shift assay |
title | The Sunflower WRINKLED1 Transcription Factor Regulates Fatty Acid Biosynthesis Genes through an AW Box Binding Sequence with a Particular Base Bias |
title_full | The Sunflower WRINKLED1 Transcription Factor Regulates Fatty Acid Biosynthesis Genes through an AW Box Binding Sequence with a Particular Base Bias |
title_fullStr | The Sunflower WRINKLED1 Transcription Factor Regulates Fatty Acid Biosynthesis Genes through an AW Box Binding Sequence with a Particular Base Bias |
title_full_unstemmed | The Sunflower WRINKLED1 Transcription Factor Regulates Fatty Acid Biosynthesis Genes through an AW Box Binding Sequence with a Particular Base Bias |
title_short | The Sunflower WRINKLED1 Transcription Factor Regulates Fatty Acid Biosynthesis Genes through an AW Box Binding Sequence with a Particular Base Bias |
title_sort | sunflower wrinkled1 transcription factor regulates fatty acid biosynthesis genes through an aw box binding sequence with a particular base bias |
topic | <i>Helianthus annuus</i> fatty acid biosynthesis WRINKLED1 (WRI1) transcription factor AW box binding sequence electrophoretic mobility shift assay |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/7/972 |
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