The transcription factor bZIP AtbZIP63 interacts with the circadian clock and affects the starch degradation impacting the growth and development of Arabidopsis thaliana

Author(s)

Américo José Carvalho Viana

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Biologia
• Defense date: 2014-09-06

Examining board members

Michel Georges Albert Vincentz; Carlos Takeshi Hotta; Daniel Scherer de Moura; Márcio Alves Ferreira; Camila Caldana

• Advisor: Michel Georges Albert Vincentz

Abstract

he Arabidopsis thaliana basic leucine zipper domain (bZIP) AtbZIP63 transcription factor is part of the response pathway to energy shortage coordinated by kinases KIN10/11. The T-DNA insertion mutant atbzip63-2 shows a reduction in the growth and development of leaves, as well as a delay in flowering compared to wild type (WT; ecotype Ws), when grown in short-day conditions. Long day or continuous light conditions promoted a partial or complete reversion, respectively, of the mutant to wild-type phenotype, raising the possibility that this phenotype is the result of an energy shortage. Plants silenced for AtbZIP63 showed similar characteristics to the atbzip63-2 mutant, confirming the involvement of this transcription factor in the growth. The gene expression profile and the levels of some metabolites of the atbzip63-2 indicated that AtbZIP63 takes part in the control of starch degradation, regulating the expression of some key genes in starch degradation. Diurnal AtbZIP63 mRNA level fluctuation is regulated by the circadian clock, and the phase oscillation is influenced by the availability of carbohydrates. In addition, to be controlled by the circadian clock, AtbZIP63 directly regulates the expression of PRR7 which encodes one of the key regulators of the core clock. We have therefore identified a reciprocal interaction between the clock and AtbZIP63 which is probably affecting the starch degradation process. This set of evidence reveals new aspects of the entrainment of the circadian clock by sugars, and is consistent with recent studies showing that sugars directly regulate the circadian clock. Our hypothesis is that AtbZIP63 is acting as a mediator between the energy status (availability of sugar) and the oscillatory mechanism of the A. thaliana circadian clock. Additionally, we found that the profile of transcripts at the end of the day in atbzip63-2 mutant is different from that observed in the end of the night, suggesting the involvement of AtbZIP63 in the regulation of genes involved in distinct regulatory networks according to the period of day. Among the genes deregulated in atbzip63-2 at the end of the x day, an enrichment for genes related to secondary metabolism and trehalose biosynthesis was observed. Suggesting the involvement of AtbZIP63 in regulating the synthesis of these compounds during the day, and probably reflects the occurrence of stress in the mutant (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/02440-0 - The role of AtbZIP63 in the control of the energy balance in Arabidopsis thaliana: identification of the target genes and partial evaluation of the functional redundancy
• Grantee: Américo José Carvalho Viana
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate