Transcriptional Regulation of the DREB1C Gene in Response to Low Temperature

Abstract

Arabidopsis transcriptional factors DREB1s/CBFs specifically interact with a cis-acting element DRE/CRT/LTRE involved in cold-, drought- and high-salinity-inducible gene expression. Expression of the DREB1C gene induces rapidly under low temperature conditions. Using a GUS reporter gene fused to the DREB1C promoter, we identified a 67-bp region that contains cis-acting elements involved in low temperature-responsive gene expression of the DREB1C gene. Using yeast one-hybrid system, we isolated a cDNA clone encoding a protein that binds to the 67-bp promoter region of DREB1C. The cDNA encodes a protein named bHLH072, which belongs to the bHLH-type transcription factor family. We analyzed function of bHLH072 in the expression of the DREB1 genes in response to low temperature stress using transgenic plants.