GIGANTEA-ENHANCED EM LEVEL complex initiates drought escape response via dual function of ABA synthesis and flowering promotion

ABSTRACT

Plants use the regulation of their circadian clock to adapt to daily environmental challenges, particularly water scarcity. During drought, plants accelerate flowering through a process called drought escape (DE) response, which is promoted by the circadian clock component GIGANTEA (GI). GI up-regulates the flowering inducer gene FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT). Phytohormone Abscisic acid (ABA) is also required for drought escape, and both GIGANTEA and Abscisic acid are interdependent in the transition. Recent research has revealed a new mechanism by which GIGANTEA and the protein ENHANCED EM LEVEL form a heterodimer complex that turns on ABA biosynthesis during drought stress by regulating the transcription of 9-CIS-EPOXYCAROTENOID DIOXYGENASE 3 (NCED3). This highlights the close connection between the circadian clock and ABA regulation and reveals a new adaptive strategy for plants to cope with drought and initiates the DE response.

KEYWORDS:

• GIGANTEA
• EEL
• ABA biosynthesis
• NCED3
• circadian clock
• drought escape

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Author contributions

D-J.Y designed the study, D.B performed the experiments, Z.E.B, M.B, J.P, A.A and D-J.Y performed the literature search and wrote the manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Korean Government (2022R1A2C3004098).