The 14-3-3 protein HbGF14a interacts with a RING zinc finger protein to regulate expression of the rubber transferase gene in Hevea brasiliensis

J Exp Bot. 2018 Apr 9;69(8):1903-1912. doi: 10.1093/jxb/ery049.

Abstract

Hevea brasiliensis is a key commercial source of natural rubber (cis 1,4-polyisoprene). In H. brasiliensis, rubber transferase is responsible for cis-1,4-polymerization of isoprene units from isopentenyl diphosphate and thus affects the yield of rubber. Little is known about the regulatory mechanisms of the rubber transferase gene at a molecular level. In this study we show that the 5'UTR intron of the promoter of the rubber transferase gene (HRT2) suppresses the expression of HRT2. A H. brasiliensis RING zinc finger protein (designated as HbRZFP1) was able to interact specifically with the HRT2 promoter to down-regulate its transcription in vivo. A 14-3-3 protein (named as HbGF14a) was identified as interacting with HbRZFP1, both in yeast and in planta. Transient co-expression of HbGF14a and HbRZFP1-encoding cDNAs resulted in HbRZFP1-mediated HRT2 transcription inhibition being relieved. HbGF14a repressed the protein-DNA binding of HbRZFP1 with the HRT2 promoter in yeast. We propose a regulatory mechanism by which the binding of HbGF14a to HbRZFP1 interferes with the interaction of HbRZFP1 with the HRT2 promoter, thereby repressing the protein-DNA binding between them. This study provides new insights into the role of HbGF14a in mediating expression of the rubber transferase gene in Hevea brasiliensis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 14-3-3 Proteins / chemistry
  • 14-3-3 Proteins / genetics
  • 14-3-3 Proteins / metabolism*
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
  • Hevea / chemistry
  • Hevea / classification
  • Hevea / genetics
  • Hevea / metabolism*
  • Phylogeny
  • Plant Proteins / chemistry
  • Plant Proteins / genetics
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Protein Binding
  • RING Finger Domains
  • Rubber / metabolism
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Transferases / chemistry
  • Transferases / genetics*
  • Transferases / metabolism
  • Zinc Fingers

Substances

  • 14-3-3 Proteins
  • Plant Proteins
  • Rubber
  • Transferases