HOS3, an ELO-Like Gene, Inhibits Effects of ABA and Implicates a S-1-P/Ceramide Control System for Abiotic Stress Responses in Arabidopsis thaliana

摘要

A hyper-osmotically sensitive mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana, designated hos3-1 (high expression of osmot-ically responsive genes), was identified based on its hyper-luminescence of RD29A:LUC promoter fusion plants upon treatment with NaCI and ABA. These responses implicate the disrupted gene as a direct or indirect negative regulator of the RD29A stress-responsive pathway. By sequencing the flanking regions of the T-DNA borders, it was determined that the disrupted gene is at locus At4g36830, annotated as encoding a putative protein with high homology to C/G30 (ELO2/FEN1). CIG30 has been implicated in synthesis of very long chain fatty acids (VLCFA), which are essential precursors for sphin-golipids and ceramides. Altered stress responses characteristic of ABA-hypersensitivity, including reduced root growth inhibition and reduced germination with ABA treatment and reduced water loss from leaves, were exhibited by allelic hos3-1 and hos3-2 mutants. The hos3-2 mutant is partially suppressed in its transcript abundance and is inherited as a recessive trait. Further, the HO53 ORF under the control of the 35SCaMV promoter restored wild-type NaCI- and ABA-root growth sensitivity as well as RD29A:LUC luminescence in mutant plants. We also show here thatthe HOS3 wild-type gene functionally complements the sensitivity of e/o2 and elo3 yeast mutants to monensin. Furthermore, both hos3-1 and hos3-2 alleles shared increased sensitivity to the herbicide Metolachlor, which inhibits acyl chain elongation in synthesis of VLCFA, and HOS3 functionally complemented both e/o2 and e/o3 and restored levels of VLCFA. Together, these data establish that HOS3 inhibits ABA-mediated stress responses and implicate the VLCFA pathway and products as control points for several aspects of abiotic stress signaling and responses. The results also provide support for a role of ceramide in the control of stomatal behavior.