FIGURE 4.

Altered disease responses of the AtERF15-OE and AtERF15-Ri plants to Pst DC3000. (A) Disease symptom on Col-0, AtERF15-OE and AtERF15-Ri plants. Four-week-old plants were infiltrated with Pst DC3000 (OD₆₀₀ = 0.002). Photos were taken 4 days after inoculation. (B) Bacterial growth in infected leaves of Col-0, AtERF15-OE and AtERF15-Ri plants. Leaf samples were collected at 0, 2, and 4 days after inoculation and bacterial growth in CFU/cm² leaf area was shown. (C) Expression of defense genes in Col-0, AtERF15-OE and AtERF15-Ri plants after inoculation with Pst DC3000. Expression of defense genes was analyzed by qRT-PCR and the transcript data obtained were normalized with the value of a reference AtActin gene. Relative expression levels of the defense genes were expressed as folds of the AtActin gene. Data presented are the means ±SD from three independent experiments and and different letters above the columns indicate significant differences at p < 0.05 level between the AtERF15-OE or AtERF15-Ri and Col-0 plants.