C-repeat binding factor gene family identified in non-heading Chinese cabbage is functional in abiotic and biotic stress response but different from that in Arabidopsis.

C-repeat binding factor (CBF) signaling pathway is involved in cold acclimation responsive to low temperature and some other stresses. CBF transcription factor family is the key component of this pathway. In this study, eight CBF-like genes, BrCBF1, BrCBF2, BrCBF3, BrCBF4, BrCBF5, and BrCBF6A/B/C were isolated from non-heading Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris ssp. chinensis L. Makino, NHCC). The deduced CBF proteins shared high similarity with their Arabidopsis orthologs and localized to the nucleus. Furthermore, quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) analysis showed that BrCBF1~3 were induced by cold (4 °C) but not drought or abscisic acid (ABA), indicating that they are involved in an ABA-independent pathway; however, BrCBF4~6 were regulated by both drought and ABA, suggesting that they were involved in an ABA-dependent pathway. Nevertheless, unlike Arabidopsis, BrCBF4~6 showed response to both cold and ABA, indicates ABA-independent and ABA-dependent parts of CBF pathway in NHCC might not be completely separate, and these genes may act as the connection points in the network. BrCBFs were also accumulated in response to salicylic acid (SA), methyljasmonate (MeJA), and ethylene (ET), indicating that BrCBF genes might participate in the response to biotic stresses. Taken together, eight CBF genes were isolated from NHCC which compose a functional CBF signaling pathway by participating in response to multiple stresses and performing roles from Arabidopsis to some extent.