Spatiotemporal regulation of JAZ4 expression and splicing contribute to ethylene- and auxin-mediated responses in Arabidopsis roots

Jasmonic acid (JA) signaling controls several processes related to plant growth, development, and defense, which are modulated by the transcription regulator and receptor JASMONATE-ZIM DOMAIN (JAZ) proteins. We recently discovered that a member of the JAZ family, JAZ4, has a prominent function in canonical JA signaling as well as other mechanisms. Here, we discovered the existence of two naturally occurring splice variants (SVs) of JAZ4 in planta, JAZ4.1 and JAZ4.2, and employed biochemical and pharmacological approaches to determine protein stability and repression capability of these SVs within JA signaling. We then utilized quantitative and qualitative transcriptional studies to determine spatiotemporal expression and splicing patterns in vivo, which revealed developmental-, tissue-, and organ-specific regulation. Detailed phenotypic and expression analyses suggest a role of JAZ4 in ethylene (ET) and auxin signaling pathways differentially within the zones of root development in seedlings. These results support a model in which JAZ4 functions as a negative regulator of ET signaling and auxin signaling in root tissues above the apex. However, in the root apex JAZ4 functions as a positive regulator of auxin signaling possibly independently of ET. Collectively, our data provide insight into the complexity of spatiotemporal regulation of JAZ4 and how this impacts hormone signaling specificity and diversity in Arabidopsis roots.

Automated summary

JAZ4 plays a crucial role in plant growth, development, and defense, with two natural splice variants identified. It functions differently in ethylene and auxin signaling pathways within root development zones, acting as a negative regulator above the apex but a positive regulator at the root apex for auxin signaling independently possibly of ethylene. The complexity of spatiotemporal regulation of JAZ4 impacts hormone signaling specificity and diversity in Arabidopsis roots.