Molecular diversity and gene expression of cotton ERF transcription factors reveal that group IXa members are responsive to jasmonate, ethylene and Xanthomonas.

Several ethylene-response factor (ERF) transcription factors are believed to play a crucial role in the activation of plant defence responses, but little is known about the relationships between the diversity of this family and the functions of groups or individual ERFs in this process. In this study, 200 ERF genes from the unigene cotton database were identified. Conserved amino acid residues and phylogeny reconstruction using the AP2 conserved domain suggest that the classification into 10 major groups used for Arabidopsis and rice is applicable to the cotton ERF family. Based on in silico studies, we predict that group IX ERF genes in cotton are involved in jasmonate (JA), ethylene (ET) and pathogen responses. To test this hypothesis, we analysed the transcript profiles of the group IXa subfamily in the regulation of specific resistance to Xanthomonas campestris pathovar malvacearum. The expression of four members of group IXa was induced on challenge with X. campestris pv. malvacearum. Furthermore, the expression of several ERF genes of group IXa was induced synergistically by JA in combination with ET, suggesting that the encoded ERF proteins may play key roles in the integration of both signals to activate JA- and ET-dependent responses.