Guihong Yu

The SsDREB Transcription Factor from the Succulent Halophyte Suaeda salsa Enhances Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Transgenic Tobacco.

Dehydration-responsive element-binding (DREB) transcription factor (TF) plays a key role for abiotic stress tolerance in plants. In this study, a novel cDNA encoding DREB transcription factor, designated SsDREB, was isolated from succulent halophyte Suaeda salsa. This protein was classified in the A-6 group of DREB subfamily based on multiple sequence alignments and phylogenetic characterization. Yeast one-hybrid assays showed that SsDREB protein specifically binds to the DRE sequence and could activate the expression of reporter genes in yeast, suggesting that the SsDREB protein was a CBF/DREB transcription factor. Real-time RT-PCR showed that SsDREB was significantly induced under salinity and drought stress. Overexpression of SsDREB cDNA in transgenic tobacco plants exhibited an improved salt and drought stress tolerance in comparison to the nontransformed controls. The transgenic plants revealed better growth, higher chlorophyll content, and net photosynthesis rate, as well as higher level of proline and soluble sugars. The semiquantitative PCR of transgenics showed higher expression of stress-responsive genes. These data suggest that the SsDREB transcription factor is involved in the regulation of salt stress tolerance in tobacco by the activation of different downstream gene expression.

Changes in the Physiological Parameters of SbPIP1-Transformed Wheat Plants under Salt Stress

The SbPIP1 gene is a new member of the plasma membrane major intrinsic gene family cloned from the euhalophyte Salicornia bigelovii Torr. In order to understand the physiological responses in plants that are mediated by the SbPIP1 gene, SbPIP1-overexpressing wheat lines and WT plants of the wheat cv. Ningmai 13 were treated with salt stress. Several physiological parameters, such as the proline content, the malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and the content of soluble sugars and proteins, were compared between SbPIP1-transformed lines and WT plants under normal growth or salt stress conditions. The results indicate that overexpression of the SbPIP1 gene can increase the accumulation of the osmolyte proline, decrease the MDA content, and enhance the soluble sugar biosynthesis in the early period but has no influence on the regulation of soluble protein biosynthesis in wheat. The results suggest that SbPIP1 contributes to salt tolerance by facilitating the accumulation of the osmolyte proline, increasing the antioxidant response, and increasing the biosynthesis of soluble sugar in the early period. These results indicate SbPIP1 plays an important role in the salt stress response. Overexpression of SbPIP1 might be used to improve the salt tolerance of important crop plants.