A harpin-induced ethylene-responsive factor regulates plant growth and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses

► Transcriptome analysis of tomato genome reveals that bacterial PAMP harpin protein strongly activates the expression of tomato ethylene-responsive factor 5 (SlERF5). ► Genes involved in biotic and abiotic stress response, photosynthesis, and endomembrane transport are induced in tomato in response to harpin. ► Overexpression of SlERF5 in Arabidopsis greatly up-regulates genes expression related to defense response, seed maturation and abiotic stress adaptation. ► Transgenic plants overexpressing SlERF5 exhibits hypersensitive response to exogenous ABA and increased tolerance to salt stress. ► We propose that harpin may regulate plant growth and defense response through activation of transcription factor SlERF5.