Hsf-like transcription factor, tbf1, is a major molecular switch for growth-to-defense transition in plants

Abstract

The present invention relates to new methods to study and control the expression of plant genes, particularly nucleotide sequences located downstream from regions comprising binding sites for transcription factors, such as the cis-element translocon 1 (TL1) comprising GAAGAAGAA and similar sequences. The invention relates to isolated nucleotide sequences comprising a regulatory region comprising a promoter operably-linked to one or more upstream open reading frames (uORFs) and one or more downstream open reading frames (dORFs) encoding one or more functional polypeptides, including transcription factors such as TBF1, reporter polypeptides, and polypeptides conferring resistance to drugs, resistance of plants viral, bacterial, or fungal pathogens, and polypeptides involved in the growth of plants. Related aspects include the use of a region which encodes one or more polypeptides designated uORF1 and uORF2 fromplants, natural and synthetic variants of these polypeptides, and their homologues and orthologues isolated from other plant species, including crop plants, plus vectors, cells, plant propagation material, transgenic plants, and seeds comprising nucleic acids comprising said all or portions of said regulatory region. Other aspects relate to methods of using these regulatory elements to generate and screen for transgenic plants having improved resistance microbial and viral plant pathogens, and engineered cells and plants comprising these one or more of these genetic elements to facilitate the production of proteins for use in structure/function studies, in industrial, medical, and agricultural applications, particularly in the discovery of metabolic pathways involved in the and development of disease-resistant plants.