Combinatorial regulation of abiotic stress responses: Interaktion and competition of bZIP transcription factors

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The project aims at the characterization of transcription factor interaction and competition in abiotic stress regulated gene expression focusing on group F bZIP-type transcription factors in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Recent research functionally characterized the group F transcription factor bZIP24 as a central regulator of abiotic stress resistance. In vivo interaction of bZIP24 as a homodimer and a heterodimer was shown by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). To characterize competition in the regulatory function of bZIPs on gene expression, bZIP24 and potentially interacting bZIP factors of group F and other groups of bZIPs will be co-expressed in A. thaliana followed by the analysis of down-stream regulated genes under control of the factors and their combinatorial effects under abiotic stress conditions. The binding affinity of group F bZIP factors to promoter cis elements will be analyzed by competition experiments in vitro and in vivo, and deletion of DNA-binding domains and domain swapping will allow identifying regulatory domains of group F bZIP factors to characterize and understand the function of the protein domains in transcription factor action. The findings of the study will provide important insight into the mechanisms of correlated function of bZIP transcription factors in the cellular signaling network.