Calcineurin-B-like protein CBL9 interacts with target kinase CIPK3 in the regulation of ABA response in seed germination

Mol Plant. 2008 Mar;1(2):238-48. doi: 10.1093/mp/ssn003. Epub 2008 Feb 8.

Abstract

Calcium plays a vital role as a second messenger in many signaling pathways in plants. The calcineurin B-like proteins (CBLs) represent a family of plant calcium-binding proteins that function in calcium signaling by interacting with their interacting protein kinases (CIPKs). In our previous study, we have reported a role for one of the CBLs (CBL9) and one of the CIPKs (CIPK3) in ABA signaling. Here, we have shown that CBL9 and CIPK3 physically and functionally interact with each other in regulating the ABA responses. The CBL9 and CIPK3 proteins interacted with each other in the yeast two-hybrid system and when expressed in plant cells. The double mutant cbl9cipk3 showed the similar hypersensitive response to ABA as observed in single mutants (cbl9 or cipk3). The constitutively active form of CIPK3 genetically complemented the cbl9 mutant, indicating that CIPK3 function downstream of CBL9. Based on these findings, we conclude that CBL9 and CIPK3 act together in the same pathway for regulating ABA responses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Abscisic Acid / physiology*
  • Agrobacterium tumefaciens / genetics
  • Arabidopsis / genetics
  • Arabidopsis / physiology*
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / metabolism*
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • DNA Primers
  • Droughts
  • Germination / physiology*
  • Homeostasis
  • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / genetics
  • Plasmids / genetics
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism*
  • RNA Cap-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • RNA Cap-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Plant / genetics
  • Seeds / physiology*
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*

Substances

  • ABH1 protein, Arabidopsis
  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • CBL9 protein, Arabidopsis
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins
  • DNA Primers
  • RNA Cap-Binding Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • RNA, Plant
  • Abscisic Acid
  • CIPK3 protein, Arabidopsis
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases