The C2H2 zinc-finger protein CaZAT11 positively regulates cold tolerance in pepper and physically interacts with CaSTOP1.

CaZAT11, a nuclear-localized C2H2 zinc-finger protein, enhances cold tolerance in pepper by interacting with CaSTOP1 and regulating cold-responsive genes.

• Why it matters: Understanding the molecular mechanisms of cold tolerance in pepper is crucial for improving crop resilience under low-temperature stress, which limits productivity.
• What they did: Researchers identified CaZAT11 through yeast two-hybrid screening, confirmed its interaction with CaSTOP1, and demonstrated that its overexpression improves cold tolerance in pepper, Arabidopsis, and tomato.
• The result: Overexpression of CaZAT11 reduces cellular damage markers and boosts antioxidant activity, establishing it as a positive regulator of cold stress response and a potential target for crop improvement.