DREB转录因子与植物非生物胁迫抗性研究进展

干旱、高盐、低温等非生物逆境胁迫严重影响植物的生长发育和作物产量。转录因子在调节植物生长发育以及对外界环境胁迫的响应方面起着重要作用。DREB类转录因子即干旱应答元件结合蛋白是AP2/EREBP转录因子家族的一个亚家族,拥有保守的AP2结构域,能够与DRE/CRT顺式作用元件特异结合,在非生物逆境胁迫条件下调节一系列下游胁迫诱导逆境应答基因的表达,从而提高植物耐逆性。就DREB转录因子的结构特点、表达调控以及提高转基因植株胁迫耐受性的最新研究成果进行了评述。     

苹果DREB转录因子家族全基因组鉴定与分析

DREB转录因子属于AP2/ERF转录因子家族,能够与DRE/CRT顺式作用元件特异性结合,调控与逆境应答基因的表达,因而在植物应对低温、干旱、高盐等逆境胁迫中发挥重要作用。该研究利用苹果全基因组数据,通过生物信息学手段鉴定苹果DREB转录因子家族成员,并分析DREB转录因子家族保守域特点与功能及表达情况。结果表明:从苹果全基因组中共鉴定出60个DREB转录因子家族成员,与拟南芥和水稻相比基本一致,通过引入拟南芥DREB基因进行系统发生分析,进一步可以将其细分为6个亚组;结构域和保守元件分析表明,DREB基因家族含有一个AP2保守结构域;染色体定位表明,苹果DREB基因分布于11条染色体上,部分基因存在串联复制现象;基因结构分析显示,该亚家族基因不含内含子。利用同源拟南芥RNA-Seq数据分析结果表明,DREB转录因子家族对低温、ABA调节等非生物胁迫具有调控作用,同时在DREB亚家族中每个亚组响应不同的非生物胁迫;通过分析DREB基因在不同组织中的表达情况,结果显示DREB基因在植物根部中的表达量最强,其次是叶。     

AP2/ERF转录因子调控植物非生物胁迫响应研究进展

低温、干旱、高盐和缺氧等多种不良环境影响植物的生长发育, 植物通过长期进化形成复杂的调节机制来适应这些不利条件。AP2/ERF是植物特有的转录因子, 在各种胁迫响应过程中发挥关键调控作用。近年来, 越来越多的研究表明, 植物激素介导的信号级联通路与逆境胁迫响应关系密切, AP2/ERF转录因子可与激素信号转导协同形成交叉调控网络。许多AP2/ERF转录因子通过响应植物激素脱落酸和乙烯, 激活依赖或不依赖于脱落酸和乙烯的胁迫响应基因的表达。此外, AP2/ERF转录因子参与赤霉素、细胞分裂素和油菜素内酯介导的生长发育和胁迫应答。该文简要综述了AP2/ERF转录因子的结构特征、转录调控、翻译后修饰、结合位点、协同互作蛋白及其参与调控依赖或不依赖激素信号转导途径的非生物胁迫响应研究进展, 为解析不同AP2/ERF转录因子在调控激素和胁迫响应网络中的作用提供理论依据。     

AP2/ERF转录因子调控植物非生物胁迫响应研究进展

低温、干旱、高盐和缺氧等多种不良环境影响植物的生长发育,植物通过长期进化形成复杂的调节机制来适应这些不利条件。AP2/ERF是植物特有的转录因子,在各种胁迫响应过程中发挥关键调控作用。近年来,越来越多的研究表明,植物激素介导的信号级联通路与逆境胁迫响应关系密切,AP2/ERF转录因子可与激素信号转导协同形成交叉调控网络。许多AP2/ERF转录因子通过响应植物激素脱落酸和乙烯,激活依赖或不依赖于脱落酸和乙烯的胁迫响应基因的表达。此外,AP2/ERF转录因子参与赤霉素、细胞分裂素和油菜素内酯介导的生长发育和胁迫应答。该文简要综述了AP2/ERF转录因子的结构特征、转录调控、翻译后修饰、结合位点、协同互作蛋白及其参与调控依赖或不依赖激素信号转导途径的非生物胁迫响应研究进展,为解析不同AP2/ERF转录因子在调控激素和胁迫响应网络中的作用提供理论依据。     

DREB转录因子及其在植物抗逆中的作用

介绍了DREB(dehydration responsive element binding)转录因子及其在植物抗逆作用中的研究进展.DREB转录因子由逆环境胁迫诱导产生后,可激活其他多达12个依赖DRE顺式作用元件的抗逆功能基因,引起脯氨酸及蔗糖含量提高,从而增强植株对多种逆境(旱、冻及盐)的抵抗性.     

转录因子DREBlA和DREB2A调控机制的比较分析

DREB转录因子即干旱应答元件结合蛋白质,它能特异结合启动子中含有DRE/CRT顺式元件,激活许多逆境诱导基因的表达,增强植物对逆境的忍耐力.从DREB1A和DREB2A转录因子结构、功能、调控表达的基因以及蛋白稳定性等方面进行比较分析,为植物抗逆转录因子研究及应用提供依据.     

草坪草狗牙根中抗逆基因BeDREB的克隆及功能鉴定

DREB(dehydrationresponsiveelementbindingprotein)蛋白是一类在植物中所特有的,能与DRE(dehydrationresponsiveelement)顺式作用元件特异性结合的转录因子,调控与干旱、高盐以及低温等逆境胁迫应答有关基因的表达.根据狗牙根近缘植物的DREB转录因子的AP2EREBP保守结构域的基因序列,通过RTPCR和RACE的方法分别从冷诱导和盐诱导的狗牙根cDNA中扩增到了2个似DREB基因,分别命名为BeDREB1和BeDREB2,并已提交NCBIGenBank,其登录号分别为AY462117和AY462118.这两个基因的编码框均为753个碱基,编码251个氨基酸,具有DREB转录因子的典型特征.两种逆境胁迫下扩增的基因序列同源性很高,达到了97.8%.利用酵母单杂交真核转录激活的方法进行了功能鉴定,证明BeDREB1和BeDREB2蛋白均可以与DRE顺式作用元件结合,激活下游报告基因HIS3的表达.RTPCR结果显示,BeDREB1基因受冷胁迫诱导表达,而BeDREB2受盐胁迫的诱导表达,且随着诱导时间的不同,表达量也在发生变化.上述结果表明,从狗牙根中克隆到的BeDREB1和BeDREB2基因属于DREB转录因子家族的新成员,在狗牙根中分别与冷胁迫和盐胁迫的信号转导有关.     

DREB转录因子研究进展

DREB转录因子即干旱应答元件结合蛋白质,它能特异结合启动子中含有 DRE/CRT 顺式元件,激活许多逆境诱导基因的表达,增强植物对逆境的忍耐力。介绍DREB转录因子与DRE顺式作用元件的关系,DREB 转录因子与 DRE 元件的结合特异性,DREB 的结构特点和功能,DREB 转录因子的表达调控,DREB 转录因子的克隆及鉴定等方面的研究进展,简述 DREB 转录因子对调控逆境诱导基因的表达具有非常重要的作用,在提高植物综合抗逆性方面将有巨大的应用前景。同时,指出 DREB 转录因子在信号转导、作用机理及基因表达等方面的复杂性。      

生长素与植物逆境胁迫关系的研究进展

生长素(IAA)是一种重要的植物激素,与植物的逆境胁迫反应关系密切。综述近年来国内外对生长素与植物逆境胁迫关系研究的一些最新进展,重点分析生长素和生长素响应基因及其相关转录因子在植物响应盐害、干旱、低温等胁迫中的反应。     

植物DREB转录因子的研究进展及应用

转录因子是一种DNA结合蛋白,通过与真核基因启动子区域中的顺式作用元件发生特异性相互作用来调控基因的转录。DREB(与干旱应答元件结合的)转录因子是一类新发现的植物特有的转录因子,能够特异地识别DRE(干旱应答元件)顺式作用元件并与之发生作用,从而激活植物体内一系列逆境应答基因的表达。本文综述了近几年在DREB转录因子的结构、功能、表达调控以及应用方面的研究进展。     

ddm1 plants are sensitive to methyl methane sulfonate and NaCl stresses and are deficient in DNA repair

Plant response to stress includes changes in gene expression and chromatin structure. Our previous work showed that Arabidopsis thaliana Dicer-like (DCL) mutants were impaired in transgenerational response to stress that included an increase in recombination frequency, cytosine methylation and stress tolerance. It can be hypothesized that changes in chromatin structure are important for an efficient stress response. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed the stress response of ddm1, a mutant impaired in DDM1, a member of the SWI/SNF family of adenosine triphosphate-dependent chromatin remodeling genes. We exposed Arabidopsis thaliana ddm1 mutants to methyl methane sulfonate (MMS) and NaCl and found that these plants were more sensitive. At the same time, ddm1 plants were similar to wild-type plants in sensitivity to temperature and bleomycin stresses. Direct comparison to met1 plants, deficient in maintenance methyltransferase MET1, showed higher sensitivity of ddm1 plants to NaCl. The level of DNA strand breaks upon exposure to MMS increased in wild-type plants but decreased in ddm1 plants. DNA methylation analysis showed that heterozygous ddm1/DDM1 plants had lower methylation as compared to fourth generation of homozygous ddm1/ddm1 plants. Exposure to MMS resulted in a decrease in methylation in wild-type plants and an increase in ddm1 plants. Finally, in vitro DNA excision repair assay showed lower capacity for ddm1 mutant. Our results provided a new example of a link between genetic genome stability and epigenetic genome stability. Key message We demonstrate that heterozygous ddm1/DDM1 plants are more sensitive to stress and have more severe changes in methylation than homozygous ddm1/ddm1 plants.     

Enhancement of tolerance of abiotic stress by metabolic engineering of betaines and other compatible solutes

The accumulation of compatible solutes, such as betaines, proline and sugar alcohols, is a widespread response that may protect plants against environmental stress. It is not yet fully understood how these compounds are involved in the stress tolerance of whole plants. Some plants have been genetically engineered to express enzymes that catalyze the synthesis of various compatible solutes. Some interventions have increased the tolerance of some crop plants to abiotic stress. Furthermore, analysis of such transgenic plants has begun to clarify the roles of compatible solutes in stress tolerance.     

Metabolic engineering of rice leading to biosynthesis of glycinebetaine and tolerance to salt and cold

Genetically engineered rice (Oryza sativa L.) with the ability to synthesize glycinebetaine was established by introducing the codA gene for choline oxidase from the soil bacterium Arthrobacter globiformis. Levels of glycinebetaine were as high as 1 and 5 mol per gram fresh weight of leaves in two types of transgenic plant in which choline oxidase was targeted to the chloroplasts (ChlCOD plants) and to the cytosol (CytCOD plants), respectively. Although treatment with 0.15 m NaCl inhibited the growth of both wild-type and transgenic plants, the transgenic plants began to grow again at the normal rate after a significantly less time than the wild-type plants after elimination of the salt stress. Inactivation of photosynthesis, used as a measure of cellular damage, indicated that ChlCOD plants were more tolerant than CytCOD plants to photoinhibition under salt stress and low-temperature stress. These results indicated that the subcellular compartmentalization of the biosynthesis of glycinebetaine was a critical element in the efficient enhancement of tolerance to stress in the engineered plants.     

Effects of Water Stress and Hardening on the Internal Water Relations and Osmotic Constituents of Cotton Leaves

Experiments were designed to test the hypothesis that the internal water relations of leaves are altered when cotton plants (Gossypium hirsutum L.‘Acala SJ-2′) are conditioned by several cycles of water stress. Preliminary experiments suggested that plants so conditioned are less sensitive to water deficits and that the change might be partly explained by an accumulation of solutes or by structural alterations attendant on development under conditions of water stress. Leaves of preconditioned plants maintained turgor to lower values of water potential than did leaves of well-watered plants. Accompanying this change was a lower osmotic potential at any given leaf water content in preconditioned plants. Tissue analysis of several osmotically active solutes indicated that soluble sugars and malate accumulate to about the same levels (dry-weight basis) in both conditioned and unconditioned plants exposed to stress. These accumulations could not account for the turgor change. Analysis of the data on relative water content indicated that the leaves of conditioned plants had less water per unit dry weight than did leaves of controls. This change accounts for a substantial fraction of the difference between the osmotic potential of conditioned and control plants. The results of a simple model suggest that structural changes may play a significant role in explaining differences in the responses of conditioned and control plants to water stress.     

Mycorrhizal symbiosis and response of sorghum plants to combined drought and salinity stresses

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis can confer increased host resistance to drought stress, although the effect is unpredictable. Since AM symbiosis also frequently increases host resistance to salinity stress, and since drought and salinity stress are often linked in drying soils, we speculated that the AM influence on plant drought response may be partially the result of AM influence on salinity stress. We tested the hypothesis that AM-induced effects on drought responses would be more pronounced when plants of comparable size are exposed to drought in salinized soils. In two greenhouse experiments, several water relations characteristics were measured in sorghum plants colonized by Glomus intraradices (Gi), Gigaspora margarita (Gm) or a mixture of AM species, during a sustained drought following exposure to salinity treatments (NaCl stress, osmotic stress via concentrated macronutrients, or soil leaching). The presence of excess salt in soils widened the difference in drought responses between AM and nonAM plants in just two instances. Days required for plants to reach stomatal closure were similar for Gi and nonAM plants exposed to drought alone, but with exposure to combined NaCl and drought stress, stomates of Gi plants remained open 17-22% longer than in nonAM plants. Promotion of stomatal conductance by Gm occurred with exposure to NaCl/drought stress but not with drought alone or with soil leaching before drought. In other instances, however, the addition of salt tended to nullify an AM-induced change in drought response. Our findings confirm that AM fungi can alter host response to drought but do not lend much support to the idea that AM-induced salt resistance might help explain why AM plants can be more resilient to drought stress than their nonAM counterparts.     

Overexpression of HVA1 gene from barley generates tolerance to salinity and water stress in transgenic mulberry (Morus indica)

Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins are members of a large group of hydrophilic proteins found primarily in plants. The barley hva1 gene encodes a group 3 LEA protein and is induced by ABA and water deficit conditions. We report here the over expression of hva1 in mulberry under a constitutive promoter via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Molecular analysis of the transgenic plants revealed the stable integration and expression of the transgene in the transformants. Transgenic plants were subjected to simulated salinity and drought stress conditions to study the role of hva1 in conferring tolerance. The transgenic plants showed better cellular membrane stability (CMS), photosynthetic yield, less photo-oxidative damage and better water use efficiency as compared to the non-transgenic plants under both salinity and drought stress. Under salinity stress, transgenic plants show many fold increase in proline concentration than the non-transgenic plants and under water deficit conditions proline is accumulated only in the non-transgenic plants. Results also indicate that the production of HVA1 proteins helps in better performance of transgenic mulberry by protecting membrane stability of plasma membrane as well as chloroplastic membranes from injury under abiotic stress. Interestingly, it was observed that hva1 conferred different degrees of tolerance to the transgenic plants towards various stress conditions. Amongst the lines analysed for stress tolerance transgenic line ST8 was relatively more salt tolerant, ST30, ST31 more drought tolerant, and lines ST11 and ST6 responded well under both salinity and drought stress conditions as compared to the non-transgenic plants. Thus hva1 appears to confer a broad spectrum of tolerance under abiotic stress in mulberry.     

Constitutive over-expression of AtGSK1 induces NaCl stress responses in the absence of NaCl stress and results in enhanced NaCl tolerance in Arabidopsis

GSK3/shaggy-like protein kinases have been shown to play diverse roles in development and signal transduction pathways in various organisms. An Arabidopsis homologue of GSK3/shaggy-like kinase, AtGSK1, has been shown to be involved in NaCl stress responses. In order to further clarify the role of AtGSK1 in NaCl stress responses in plants, we generated transgenic Arabidopsis plants that over-expressed AtGSK1 mRNA. These plants showed enhanced resistance to NaCl stress when assayed either as whole plants or by measurement of root growth on NaCl plates. In addition, AtGSK1 transgenic plants in the absence of NaCl stress showed phenotypic changes, such as accumulation of anthocyanin, that were similar to those observed in wild-type plants under NaCl stress. Transgenic plants accumulated 30-50% more Na+ than did wild-type plants when subjected to NaCl stress, and Ca2+ content was increased by 15-30% in the transgenic plants regardless of the NaCl stress level. Northern blotting revealed that AtGSK1 over-expression induced expression of the NaCl stress-responsive genes AtCP1, RD29A and CHS1 in the absence of NaCl stress. In addition, AtCBL1 and AtCP1 were super-induced in the NaCl-stressed transgenic plants. Taken together, these results suggest that AtGSK1 is involved in the signal transduction pathway(s) of NaCl stress responses in Arabidopsis.     

Salinity and drought tolerance of mannitol-accumulating transgenic tobacco

Tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum L.) were transformed with a mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase gene resulting in mannitol accumulation. Experiments were conducted to determine whether mannitol provides salt and/or drought stress protection through osmotic adjustment. Non-stressed transgenic plants were 20–25% smaller than non-stressed, non-transformed (wild-type) plants in both salinity and drought experiments. However, salt stress reduced dry weight in wild-type plants by 44%, but did not reduce the dry weight of transgenic plants. Transgenic plants adjusted osmotically by 0.57 MPa, whereas wild-type plants did not adjust osmotically in response to salt stress. Calculations of solute contribution to osmotic adjustment showed that mannitol contributed only 0-003-0-004 MPa to the 0.2 MPa difference in full turgor osmotic potential (π_o) between salt-stressed transgenic and wild-type plants. Assuming a cytoplasmic location for mannitol and that the cytoplasm constituted 5% of the total water volume, mannitol accounted for only 30–40% of the change in π_o of the cytoplasm. Inositol, a naturally occurring polyol in tobacco, accumulated in response to salt stress in both transgenic and wild-type plants, and was 3-fold more abundant than mannitol in transgenic plants. Drought stress reduced the leaf relative water content, leaf expansion, and dry weight of transgenic and wild-type plants. However, π_o was not significantly reduced by drought stress in transgenic or wild-type plants, despite an increase in non-structural carbohydrates and mannitol in droughted plants. We conclude that (1) mannitol was a relatively minor osmolyte in transgenic tobacco, but may have indirectly enhanced osmotic adjustment and salt tolerance; (2) inositol cannot substitute for mannitol in this role; (3) slower growth of the transgenic plants, and not the presence of mannitol per se, may have been the cause of greater salt tolerance, and (4) mannitol accumulation was enhanced by drought stress but did not affect π_o or drought tolerance.     

CBL1, a calcium sensor that differentially regulates salt,drought, and cold responses in Arabidopsis

Although calcium is a critical component in the signal transduction pathways that lead to stress gene expression in higher plants, little is known about the molecular mechanism underlying calcium function. It is believed that cellular calcium changes are perceived by sensor molecules, including calcium binding proteins. The calcineurin B-like (CBL) protein family represents a unique group of calcium sensors in plants. A member of the family, CBL1, is highly inducible by multiple stress signals, implicating CBL1 in stress response pathways. When the CBL1 protein level was increased in transgenic Arabidopsis plants, it altered the stress response pathways in these plants. Although drought-induced gene expression was enhanced, gene induction by cold was inhibited. In addition, CBL1-overexpressing plants showed enhanced tolerance to salt and drought but reduced tolerance to freezing. By contrast, cbl1 null mutant plants showed enhanced cold induction and reduced drought induction of stress genes. The mutant plants displayed less tolerance to salt and drought but enhanced tolerance to freezing. These studies suggest that CBL1 functions as a positive regulator of salt and drought responses and a negative regulator of cold response in plants.