The Arabidopsis HOS1 gene negatively regulates cold signal transduction and encodes a RING finger protein that displays cold-regulated nucleo-cytoplasmic partitioning

Low temperature is one of the most important environmental stimuli that control gene transcription programs and development in plants. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the HOS1 locus is a key negative regulator of low temperature-responsive gene transcription. The recessive hos1 mutation causes enhanced induction of the CBF transcription factors by low temperature as well as of their downstream cold-responsive genes. The hos1 mutant plants flower early, and this correlates with a low level of Flowering Locus C gene expression. The HOS1 gene was isolated through positional cloning. HOS1 encodes a novel protein with a RING finger motif near the amino terminus. HOS1 is ubiquitously expressed in all plant tissues. HOS1-GFP translational fusion studies reveal that HOSt protein resides in the cytoplasm at normal growth temperatures. However, in response to low temperature treatments, HOS1 accumulates in the nucleus. Ectopic expression of HOS1 in wild-type plants causes cosuppression of HOS1 expression and mimics the hos1 mutant phenotypes.