N-rich protein (NRP)-mediated cell death signaling: a new branch of the ER stress response with implications for plant biotechnology

Abstract

Upon disruption of ER homeostasis, plant cells activate at least two branches of the unfolded protein response (UPR) through IRE1-like and ATAF6-like transducers, resulting in the upregulation of ER-resident molecular chaperones and the activation of the ER-associated degradation protein system. Here, we discuss a new ER stress response pathway in plants that is associated with an osmotic stress response in transducing a cell death signal. Both ER and osmotic stress induce the expression of the novel transcription factor GmERD15, which binds and activates N-rich protein (NRP) promoters to induce NRP expression and cause the upregulation of GmNAC6, an effector of the cell death response. In contrast to this activation mechanism, the ER-resident molecular chaperone binding protein (BiP) attenuates the propagation of the cell death signal by modulating the expression and activity of components of the ER and osmotic stress-induced NRP-mediated cell death signaling. This interaction attenuates dehydration-induced cell death and promotes a better adaptation of BiP-overexpressing transgenic lines to drought.