Acts as a transcriptional repressor. Binds to the GCC-box pathogenesis-related promoter element. Involved in the regulation of gene expression by stress factors and by components of stress signal transduction pathways mediated by ethylene, that seems to depend on a protein kinase/phosphatase cascade, and to be influenced by methyl-jasmonate. May regulate other AtERFs (By similarity). Interacts with UBC2. Expressed in roots, in cultured cells and at low levels in buds and leaves. Highly expressed in cell culture, especially during the exponential phase. Strongly induced by ethephon (ethylene-releasing compound) in buds and to lower extent in leaves. Strongly induced by cycloheximide and mechanical stimuli. Wounding leads to a both local and systemical transient expression, independently of ethylene, and through a de-novo-protein-synthesis-independent regulation. Not influenced by methyl-jasmonate. Induction by purified xylanase from Trichoderma viride (TvX) and another elicitor from Phytophthora infestans (PiE), that appears to be mediated by a protein kinase cascade, and to be negatively regulated by protein phosphatases. The AP2/ERF domain binds specifically to the 5'-GCCGCC-3' motif. The affinity of this binding is higher if the seventh amino-acid of this domain is basic (By similarity). Contains a slightly degenerated ERF-associated amphiphilic repression (EAR) motif, which may be involved in the activity of transcriptional repression. Probably negatively regulated by UBC2, that targets it to the ubiquitin proteasome pathway after ubiquitination and leads it to proteolysis. Belongs to the ethylene-response factor family. Class 2 subfamily. Was named ERF3 but it corresponds to Arabidopsis ERF4.