Do ethylene response factorS9 and -14 repress PR gene expression in the interaction between Piriformospora indica and Arabidopsis?

The plant hormone ethylene (ET) plays a crucial role in the signalling network when plants have to respond to biotic stresses. We investigate the beneficial interaction between the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and the endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica. Recently, we showed that ET signalling and ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR (ERF)1 are important to balance beneficial and nonbeneficial traits in this symbiosis. 147 ERF genes in Arabidopsis encode transcriptional regulators with a variety of functions involved in development, physiological processes as well as plant/microbe interactions. In the beneficial symbiosis between Arabidopsis and P. indica, overexpression of ERF1 activates defence responses, strongly reduces root colonization and thus abolishes the benefits for the plants. Here we show that additional transcription factors of the ERF family, the ERF DOMAIN PROTEIN9 (ERF9) and the ETHYLENE-RESPONSIVE ELEMENT BINDING FACTOR14 (ERF14) are involved in the interaction between the two symbionts and are required for growth promotion of the host plant. Expression of these genes is upregulated in colonized wild-type roots. Insertional inactivation of ERF9 and ERF14 diminishes the P. indica-induced growth promotion and activates the expression of the PATHOGENESIS-RELATED (PR)-1 and PR-2 genes. We propose that ERF9 and ERF14 repress PR gene expression in colonized Arabidopsis roots and thus contribute to the establishment of a beneficial interaction.