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We report here that ORS1, a previously uncharacterized member of the NAC transcription factor family, controls leaf senescence in Arabidopsis thaliana. Overexpression of ORS1 accelerates senescence in transgenic plants, whereas its inhibition delays it. Genes acting downstream of ORS1 were identified by global expression analysis using transgenic plants producing dexamethasone-inducible ORS1–GR fusion protein. Of the 42 up-regulated genes, 30 (∼70%) were previously shown to be up-regulated during age-dependent senescence. We also observed that 32 (∼76%) of the ORS1-dependent genes were induced by long-term (4 d), but not short-term (6 h) salinity stress (150 mM NaCl). Furthermore, expression of 16 and 24 genes, respectively, was induced after 1 and 5 h of treatment with hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), a reactive oxygen species known to accumulate during salinity stress. ORS1 itself was …