Abstract
Tobacco EIN3 like (TEIL) was isolated as the factor binding the promoter sequence of acidic tobacco PR1 gene, sharing 60% identical amino acids with EIN3 from Arabidopsis. TEIL exhibited transcriptional activation binding the specific sequence tebs (TEIL binding sites) (Kosugi and Ohashi, 2000). TEIL was expressed in all tobacco tissues examined. The transcript was found at higher levels in lower leaves than upper leaves, and accumulated after wounding preceding basic PR gene expression. In TEIL-overexpressed transgenic plants, expression of basic PR genes was constitutive, whereas wound-induced expression of basic PR was reduced in TEIL-suppressed transgenic tobacco. Further we found that lesion size originated by TMV-infection was decreased in TEIL-suppressed tobacco indicating enhanced resistance. Senescence of detached leaf was delayed in TEIL-suppressed lines than wild-type tobacco. Triple response in the presence of ACC in TEIL over-expressed or suppressed line was more sensitive or insensitive than wild-type, respectively.
