The TARGET OF RAPAMYCIN-SNF1-RELATED PROTEIN KINASE 1 (TOR-SnRK1) arms race is a key regulator of plant growth in response to energy fluctuations and stress. Recently, we have identified that two members of the FCS-LIKE ZINC FINGER (FLZ) protein family, FLZ6 and 10, repress SnRK1 signaling and thereby involved in the activation of the TARGET OF RAPAMYCIN (TOR) signaling. In this study, we demonstrate that FLZ6 and 10 are also involved in the regulation of osmotic stress responses. Downregulation of FLZ6 and 10 results in enhanced expression of stress-responsive genes and better resilience towards osmotic stress at the seedling stage. These results indicate that FLZ6 and 10 are involved in the regulation of stress mitigation in plants through directly affecting SnRK1 signaling.
Funding
This work was supported by National Institute of Plant Genome Research, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology (DBT) (Core Grant) and Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology (DBT) (Project Grant: BT/PR8001/BRB/10/1211/2013). DS and MS acknowledge the University Grant Commission, Government of India for the research fellowship. MS acknowledges Department of Biotechnology for the research fellowship. MJK and CTM acknowledge National Institute of Plant Genome Research, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology (DBT) for the research fellowship. SJ acknowledges the research fellowship from the Project Grant from the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology (DBT) (Project Grant: BT/PR12855/BPA/118/87/2015). MJK acknowledges research grant and a fellowship from Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology (DST) (INSPIRE Faculty Programme, Grant no. IFA18-LSPA110).
