ERF094 / ORA59 (At1g06160, Q9LND1) notes

Identity

• UniProt Q9LND1, ERF094, synonym ORA59 (OCTADECANOID-RESPONSIVE ARABIDOPSIS AP2/ERF 59), At1g06160. Group IX ERF, single AP2/ERF domain (PF00847); PANTHER PTHR31190:SF314.
• Closest relatives: ERF1 (At3g23240) and AtERF15 (At2g31230) PMID:18467450.

Molecular function: GCC-box (and ERE) binding transcriptional activator

• Direct binding and in vivo occupancy of the PDF1.2 promoter [PMID:21246258 "ORA59 bound in vitro to these GCC boxes and trans-activated the PDF1.2 promoter in transient assays via these two boxes"; "Using the chromatin immunoprecipitation technique we were able to show that ORA59 bound the PDF1.2 promoter in vivo"].
• Activates PDF1.2 promoter in protoplasts, unlike AtERF1/AtERF2 PMID:18467450.
• Second target class: AtACT (agmatine coumaroyltransferase, HCAA biosynthesis); two GCC boxes, EDLL Leu228, MED25 and homodimer required PMID:29752755. Abstract only.
• Dual DNA specificity: GCC box (JA-favoured) and ERELEE4 (ET-favoured), phosphorylation-dependent PMID:34890461. Abstract only.

Location

• Nucleus; ethylene promotes nuclear accumulation PMID:30510560. Nuclear co-localization with EIN3 PMID:28168848.

Pathway role

• Terminal integrator of JA and ET signalling for a subset (~5-10%) of JA/ET genes (PDF1.2, HEL, ChiB); acts downstream of COI1 PMID:18467450.
• ORA59 expression induced by JA and ethephon, requires COI1 and EIN2 PMID:18467450.
• Defense against Botrytis: OE resistant, RNAi susceptible PMID:18467450. Not required for basal resistance to Alternaria brassicicola PMID:18467450.
• Local (inoculated-leaf) resistance assays only; ORA59 induced systemically by Botrytis, but no systemic resistance assay was done. GO:0009861 (JA/ET-dependent systemic resistance, i.e. ISR) thus over-reaches the IMP; better captured by defense response to fungus (GO:0050832).
• Positive role in ethylene responses (triple response; Pectobacterium resistance), RAP2.3-dependent PMID:30510560.
• SA antagonism acts via ORA59 protein depletion PMID:23435661; EIN3-dependent 26S proteasome degradation PMID:28168848.

Curation decisions summary

• MF: GO:0003700 accepted; generic DNA binding -> GO:0000976; NEW GO:0001216 DNA-binding transcription activator activity (IDA, PMID:21246258).
• BP: ethylene-activated signaling accepted; NEW jasmonic acid mediated signaling pathway (GO:0009867) because ORA59 is the transcriptional effector acting downstream of COI1 (participates as terminal TF, analogous to its existing ethylene-signalling term). GO:0009861 -> MODIFY to GO:0050832 defense response to fungus. TAS regulation of transcription row -> GO:0045893.
• IEP response to JA/ethylene: keep as non-core (expression-level response).
• Project question 3 (necessity vs participation): the defense-response-to-fungus term is defensible here because ORA59 directly transcribes antimicrobial effector genes (PDF1.2, AtACT->HCAAs); the mechanistic core is the activator MF.

Sources

• Deep research: ERF094-deep-research-falcon.md (consistent with primary literature above).
• Abstract only: PMID:29752755, PMID:34890461, PMID:23435661, PMID:10715325, PMID:11118137, PMID:9687012.