The gaseous phytohormone ethylene regulates various processes related to growth, development, and stress response of higher plants. A largely linear pathway of ethylene signaling was revealed by a number of molecular genetic studies. In the pathway, Ethylene-insensitive3 (EIN3) and EIN3-like (EIL) proteins are the key transcription factors. The EIN3/EIL proteins were shown to regulate expression of the GCC-box-binding transcription factors, ethylene-response factors. 15 E2F/DP family genes were identified, including JTY(4), LWM(6) and F106(5).
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