AUTHOR=Zang Zhenyuan , Wang Zhen , Zhao Fuxing , Yang Wei , Ci Jiabin , Ren Xuejiao , Jiang Liangyu , Yang Weiguang 

TITLE=Maize Ethylene Response Factor ZmERF061 Is Required for Resistance to Exserohilum turcicum

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2021.630413

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2021.630413

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p>Plants have evolved a series of sophisticated defense mechanisms to help them from harm. Ethylene Response Factor (ERF) plays pivotal roles in plant immune reactions, however, its underlying mechanism in maize with a defensive function to <italic>Exserohilum turcicum</italic> (<italic>E. turcicum</italic>) remains poorly understood. Here, we isolated and characterized a novel ERF transcription factor, designated <italic>ZmERF061</italic>, from maize. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that ZmERF061 is a member of B3 group in the ERF family. qRT-PCR assays showed that the expression of <italic>ZmERF061</italic> is significantly induced by <italic>E. turcicum</italic> inoculation and hormone treatments with salicylic acid (SA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA). ZmERF061 was proved to function as a nucleus-localized transcription activator and specifically bind to the GCC-box element. <italic>zmerf061</italic> mutant lines resulted in enhanced susceptibility to <italic>E. turcicum</italic> via decreasing the expression of <italic>ZmPR10.1</italic> and <italic>ZmPR10.2</italic> and the activity of antioxidant defense system. <italic>zmerf061</italic> mutant lines increased the expression of the SA signaling-related gene <italic>ZmPR1a</italic> and decreased the expression of the jasmonic acid (JA) signaling-related gene <italic>ZmLox1</italic> after infection with <italic>E. turcicum</italic>. In addition, ZmERF061 could interact with ZmMPK6-1. These results suggested that ZmERF061 plays an important role in response to <italic>E. turcicum</italic> and may be useful in genetic engineering breeding.</p>