Regulation of DNA binding and trans-activation by a xenobiotic stress-activated plant transcription factor

As-1-type cis-elements augment transcription of both nuclear and pathogen genes in response to stress and defense cues in plants. Basic/leucine zipper proteins termed TGA factors that specifically bind as-1 elements are likely candidates for mediating these transcription activities. Our earlier work has shown that 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid-induced xenobiotic stress enhances trans-activation by a chimeric fusion protein of the yeast Gal4 binding domain and TGA1a, a TGA factor of tobacco. Here we demonstrate that xenobiotic stress also enhances the ability of native TGA1a to bind as-1 and activate transcription of a known target gene. In addition, the previously identified xenobiotic stress-responsive domain of TGA1a was found to inhibit this factor's trans-activation potential by a mechanism that appears to involve stimulus-reversible interactions with a nuclear repressor protein. Results from these and other studies can now be placed in the context of a working model to explain basal and xenobiotic stress-induced activities of TGA1a through its cognate cis-acting element.