Abstract

Ethylene response factors (ERFs) are transcription factors specific to plants that serve critical functions in various aspects of plant growth, development, and responses to environmental stressors. Despite the significance of these factors, the specific mechanisms by which mulberry ERFs interact with and respond to the pathogenic fungus Botrytis cinerea have not yet been fully elucidated. This study focuses on the isolation of a particular ERF transcription factor, known as MnERF/ABR1, which is localized in the cell nucleus and is derived from mulberry. Overexpression of MnERF/ABR1 in Arabidopsis or transient overexpression of MnERF/ABR1 in mulberry leaves can significantly enhance its resistance to B. cinerea. Our results suggest that empty vector control (CK) has higher levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), a marker of oxidative stress, compared to overexpression lines. In contrast, the catalase (CAT) activity of overexpression lines was higher than that of CK plants. Furthermore, staining with 3,3′-diaminobenzidine (DAB) and nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) indicated that the resistance to B. cinerea was more pronounced in plants with overexpression than in those of the CK plants. These findings uncovered the molecular regulatory pathway involving MnERF/ABR1 in response to B. cinerea and established a basis for the development of disease-resistant mulberry varieties through genome editing.

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