Antagonistic control of oxidative stress-induced cell death in Arabidopsis by two related, plant-specific zinc finger proteins

The most familiar form of plant programmed cell death is the hypersensitive response (HR) associated with successful plant immune responses. HR is preceded by an oxidative burst and the generation of both reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) and NO. The Arabidopsis LSD1 gene encodes a negative regulator of plant programmed cell death that meets several criteria for a regulator of processes relevant to ROI management during pathogen responses. Here we demonstrate that a highly conserved LSD1 paralogue, LOL1, acts as a positive regulator of cell death. Manipulation of LOL1 expression alters both the superoxide-dependent, runaway cell death phenotype of Isd1 plants and the normal HR. We also show that LSD1 and LOL1 have antagonistic effects on copper-zinc superoxide dismutase accumulation, consistent with functions in cell death control via maintenance of ROI homeostasis.