This study investigates the role of EIN3 and EIL proteins in the ethylene signaling pathway in *Arabidopsis*. EIN3 and EILs are novel sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins that regulate gene expression by binding to a primary ethylene response element (PERE) related to the tomato E4-element. The researchers identified *ETHYLENE-RESPONSE-FACTOR1* (ERF1) as an immediate target of EIN3, which contains this element in its promoter. EIN3 is both necessary and sufficient for ERF1 expression, and constitutive expression of ERF1 results in the activation of various ethylene response genes and phenotypes. The results demonstrate that EIN3 and ERF1 act sequentially in a transcriptional cascade initiated by ethylene gas, with ERF1 acting downstream of EIN3 and other components of the ethylene signaling pathway.This study investigates the role of EIN3 and EIL proteins in the ethylene signaling pathway in *Arabidopsis*. EIN3 and EILs are novel sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins that regulate gene expression by binding to a primary ethylene response element (PERE) related to the tomato E4-element. The researchers identified *ETHYLENE-RESPONSE-FACTOR1* (ERF1) as an immediate target of EIN3, which contains this element in its promoter. EIN3 is both necessary and sufficient for ERF1 expression, and constitutive expression of ERF1 results in the activation of various ethylene response genes and phenotypes. The results demonstrate that EIN3 and ERF1 act sequentially in a transcriptional cascade initiated by ethylene gas, with ERF1 acting downstream of EIN3 and other components of the ethylene signaling pathway.