A GCC-box motif in the promoter of nudix hydrolase 7 (AtNUDT7) gene plays a role in ozone response of Arabidopsis ecotypes

• The AtNUDT7 gene is transcriptionally regulated.
• The AtNUDT7 promoter is rapidly inducible by ozone and pathogens.
• A GCC-box motif is in the AtNUDT7 promoter of the ozone-sensitive Ws ecotype.
• ERF1 transcription factor binds to the GCC-box element of the AtNUDT7 promoter.

Arabidopsis nudix hydrolase 7 (AtNudt7) plays an important role in regulating redox homeostasis during stress/defense signaling and seed germination. The early responsiveness of AtNudt7 provides a useful marker especially during oxidative cell death in plants. Nuclear run-on assays demonstrate that AtNudt7 is transcriptionally regulated. AtNUDT7 promoter–GUS transgenic plants show rapid inducibility in response to ozone and pathogens. A 16-bp insertion containing a GCC-box motif was identified in the promoter of a Ws-2 ecotype and was absent in Col-0. The 16-bp sequence was identified in 5% of the Arabidopsis ecotypes used in the 1001 genome sequencing project. The kinetics of expression of Ethylene Response Factor 1 (ERF1), a GCC-box binding factor is in synchrony with expression of AtNudt7 in response to ozone stress. ERF1 protein binds to the GCC-box motif in the AtNUDT7 promoter. In silico analysis of erf1 mutant and overexpressor lines supports a role for this protein in regulating AtNUDT7 expression.