Regulação transcricional e epigenética de ERFs em arroz sob estresse abiótico

Abstract

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most important cereals in the world being cultivated in lowland ecosystems, which have a common characteristic: lack of drainage conditions. The lack of oxygen, due to submergence of seedlings, and iron toxicity are two of the major abiotic stresses which rice plants are subjected. Recently it was realized the importance of some ethylene responsive transcription factors (ERFs) in plant response to different stresses, especially to oxygen depletion. Considering it, two studies were made in order to evaluate the expression of ERFs under different stresses. In a first study seven genes were selected, based on previous results obtained from Genevestigator analysis, and had their transcriptional expression evaluated trough quantitative PCR (qPCR) in rice seedlings under oxygen depletion and iron overload. In the second study thirteen ERFs, which had no information available in the literature, also had their transcriptional levels evaluated in seedlings under conditions of hypoxia and anoxia through qPCR in a cultivar susceptible to flooding (Bonança) and a tolerant one (Nipponbare). As general conclusions it was once more emphasized the importance of ERF genes on plant response to environmental stresses. The specific function of each of these genes is yet to be studied. In silico analysis suggests the methylation of promoters as a possible way to regulate them. More studies about the function of these ERFs and about the role of methylation in plant stress response should be done.