Functional analysis of RERJ1, a jasmonic acid-responsive transcription factor in rice, using a Tos17 mutant for RERJ1

Abstract

Jasmonic acid (JA) is a plant hormone that regulates various developmental processes in plants and also acts as a signal molecule in plant defense against herbivores and pathogens. RERJ1 that encodes a bHLH transcription factor was isolated as a JA-responsive gene from rice suspension cells. Previously, we reported that RERJ1 functions as a transcriptional activator. Here, we report the microarray analysis using a rerj1 Tos17 insertion mutant, which was identified in a PCR screen of a Tos17 insertion population.
We carried out microarray analysis using suspension cells of wild-type rice and the rerj1 mutant after 100 μM JA treatment. Hierarchical cluster analysis exhibited 51 candidates that are possibly regulated by RERJ1. Now, we are analyzing RERJ1-dependent expressions of these candidate genes and the binding of RERJ1 to the promoter region of the target genes.