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Exploring the master regulator heat stress transcription factor HSFA1a-mediated transcriptional cascade of HSFs in the heat stress response of tomato

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Abstract

The tomato heat stress transcription factor A1a (Sly-HSFA1a) acts as the master regulator of the heat stress (HS) by directly regulating the transcription of Sly-HSFA2. However, it is unclear whether the activation of Sly-HSFA2 alone is sufficient to trigger the entire transcriptional cascade downstream of Sly-HSFA1a. Therefore, the present study aims to delineate the Sly-HSFA1a governed downstream HSFs cascade regulating the tomato heat stress response. The study identified several HSFs with common and specific roles in different HS regimes as well as in HS memory. Furthermore, the study established Sly-HSFA7, Sly-HSFA6b, Sly-HSFA4c, Sly-HSFB1 and Sly-HSFB2b as new downstream targets of Sly-HSFA1a during heat stress by using virus-induced-gene-silencing (VIGS) of Sly-HSFA1a. Moreover, the silencing of downstream target Sly-HSFA7 and Sly-HSFB1 revealed the orchestration of downstream transcriptional cascade of HSFs regulated individually or in a synergistic manner by Sly-HSFA1a and Sly-HSFA7 along with co-activator Sly-HSFB1. This complex transcriptional cascade of HSFs sheds light on regulatory mechanisms that enable tomato plants to respond to various heat stress conditions to maintain cellular homeostasis.

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Abbreviations

HSF:

Heat stress transcription factor

VIGS:

Virus induced gene silencing

TRV:

Tobacco Rattle Virus

HS:

Heat stress

HSR:

Heat stress response

HSE:

Heat stress element

HSP:

Heat shock protein

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported by grants from NIPGR. The authors acknowledge the phytotron facility, CIF and field area provided by NIPGR. The authors are thankful to DBT-eLibrary Consortium (DeLCON) for providing access to e-resources. SR acknowledges Department of Biotechnology (DBT) Govt. of India and JRD acknowledges Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for the award of research fellowships.

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  1. National Institute of Plant Genome Research, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, P.O. Box No. 10531, New Delhi, 110 067, India

    Sombir Rao, Jaishri Rubina Das & Saloni Mathur

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  1. Sombir Rao
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  2. Jaishri Rubina Das
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  3. Saloni Mathur
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SM designed and supervised the study; SR designed and performed all the experiments and analysed the data. SR and SM wrote the article; JRD complemented the writing and critically reviewed the manuscript. SM agrees to serve as the author responsible for contact and ensures communication.

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Correspondence to Saloni Mathur.

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Rao, S., Das, J.R. & Mathur, S. Exploring the master regulator heat stress transcription factor HSFA1a-mediated transcriptional cascade of HSFs in the heat stress response of tomato. J. Plant Biochem. Biotechnol. 30, 878–888 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13562-021-00696-8

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