Coupling calcium/calmodulin-mediated signaling and herbivore-induced plant response through calmodulin-binding transcription factor AtSR1/CAMTA3

Calcium/calmodulin (Ca2+/CaM) has long been considered a crucial component in wound signaling pathway. However, very few Ca2+/CaM-binding proteins have been identified which regulate plant responses to herbivore attack/wounding stress. We have reported earlier that a family of Ca2+/CaM-binding transcription factors designated as AtSRs (also known as AtCAMTAs) can respond differentially to wounding stress. Further studies revealed that AtSR1/CAMTA3 is a negative regulator of plant defense, and Ca2+/CaM-binding to AtSR1 is indispensable for the suppression of salicylic acid (SA) accumulation and disease resistance. Here we report that Ca2+/CaM-binding is also critical for AtSR1-mediated herbivore-induced wound response. Interestingly, atsr1 mutant plants are more susceptible to herbivore attack than wild-type plants. Complementation of atsr1 mutant plants by overexpressing wild-type AtSR1 protein can effectively restore plant resistance to herbivore attack. However, when mutants of AtSR1 with impaired CaM-binding ability were overexpressed in atsr1 mutant plants, plant resistance to herbivore attack was not restored, suggesting a key role for Ca2+/CaM-binding in wound signaling. Furthermore, it was observed that elevated SA levels in atsr1 mutant plants have a negative impact on both basal and induced biosynthesis of jasmonates (JA). These results revealed that Ca2+/CaM-mediated signaling regulates plant response to herbivore attack/wounding by modulating the SA-JA crosstalk through AtSR1.