Arabidopsis EIN3-binding F-box 1 and 2 form ubiquitin-protein ligases that repress ethylene action and promote growth by directing EIN3 degradation

Jennifer M. Gagne, Jan Smalle, Derek J. Gingerich, Joseph M. Walker, Sang Dong Yoo, Shuichi Yanagisawa, Richard D. Vierstra

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

347 Scopus citations

Abstract

Ubiquitination of various intracellular proteins by ubiquitin-protein ligases (or E3s) plays an essential role in eukaryotic cell regulation primarily through its ability to selectively target proteins for degradation by the 26S proteasome. Skp1, Cullin, F-box (SCF) complexes are one influential E3 class that use F-box proteins to deliver targets to a core ligase activity provided by the Skp1, Cullin, and Rbx1 subunits. Almost 700 F-box proteins can be found in Arabidopsis, indicating that SCF E3s likely play a pervasive role in plant physiology and development. Here, we describe the reverse genetic analysis of two F-box proteins, EBF1 and -2, that work coordinately in SCF complexes to repress ethylene action. Mutations in either gene cause hypersensitivity to exogenous ethylene and its precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid. EBF1 and -2 interact directly with ethylene insensitive 3 (EIN3), a transcriptional regulator important for ethylene signaling. Levels of EIN3 are increased in mutants affecting either EBF1 or -2, suggesting that the corresponding SCF complexes work together in EIN3 breakdown. Surprisingly, double ebf1 ebf2 mutants display a substantial arrest of seedling growth and have elevated EIN3 levels, even in the absence of exogenous ethylene. Collectively, our results show that the SCF EBF1/EBF2-dependent ubiquitination and subsequent removal of EIN3 is critical not only for proper ethylene signaling but also for growth in plants.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)6803-6808
Number of pages6
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume101
Issue number17
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 27 2004

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