**Overexpression of** *Jatropha curcas ERFVII2* **Transcription Factor Confers Low Oxygen Tolerance in Transgenic Arabidopsis by Modulating Expression of Metabolic Enzymes and Multiple Stress-Responsive Genes**

**Piyada Juntawong 1,2,3,\*, Pimprapai Butsayawarapat 1, Pattralak Songserm 1, Ratchaneeporn Pimjan <sup>1</sup> and Supachai Vuttipongchaikij 1,2,3**


Received: 18 July 2020; Accepted: 18 August 2020; Published: 20 August 2020

**Abstract:** Enhancing crop tolerance to waterlogging is critical for improving food and biofuel security. In waterlogged soils, roots are exposed to a low oxygen environment. The group VII ethylene response factors (ERFVII*s*) were recently identified as key regulators of plant low oxygen response. Oxygen-dependent N-end rule pathways can regulate the stability of ERFVIIs. This study aims to characterize the function of the *Jatropha curcas ERFVIIs* and the impact of N-terminal modification that stabilized the protein toward low oxygen response. This study revealed that all three JcERFVII proteins are substrates of the N-end rule pathway. Overexpression of *JcERFVII2* conferred tolerance to low oxygen stress in Arabidopsis. In contrast, the constitutive overexpression of stabilized *JcERFVII2* reduced low oxygen tolerance. RNA-seq was performed to elucidate the functional roles of *JcERFVII2* and the impact of its N-terminal modification. Overexpression of both wildtype and stabilized *JcERFVII2* constitutively upregulated the plant core hypoxia-responsive genes. Besides, overexpression of the stabilized *JcERFVII2* further upregulated various genes controlling fermentative metabolic processes, oxidative stress, and pathogen responses under aerobic conditions. In summary, JcERFVII2 is an N-end rule regulated waterlogging-responsive transcription factor that modulates the expression of multiple stress-responsive genes; therefore, it is a potential candidate for molecular breeding of multiple stress-tolerant crops.

**Keywords:** abiotic stress; RNA-seq; transcription factor; waterlogging
