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Maize Rabl7 overexpression in Arabidopsis plants promotes osmotic stress tolerance |
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| Authors: | M FIGUERAS J PUJAL A SALEH R SAVE M PAGES A GODAY |
| Institution: | Department of Molecular Biology, Centre de Investigaciói Desenvolupament, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científlcas (CSIC), Jordi Girona Salgado 18–26, Barcelona 08023, Spain;Departament de Biologia, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat de Girona, Campus de Montilivi, 17071 Girona, Spain;Departament de Tecnologia Hortícola, Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentaries (IRTA), Carretera de Cabrils s/n, 08348 Cabrils, Barcelona, Spain |
| Abstract: | Rabl7 is a Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) protein from maize, which accumulates largely during embryogenesis and also in vegetative tissues when subjected to stress conditions. We have analysed the effect of Rab 17 expression under a constitutive promoter in vegetative tissues of transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants. These transgenic plants have higher sugar and proline contents, and also higher water loss rate under water stress. In addition, these plants are more tolerant than non-transformed controls to high salinity and recover faster from mannitol treatment. Our results point to a protective effect of Rabl7 protein in vegetative tissues under osmotic stress conditions. |
| Keywords: | Rabl7 maize LEA proteins water stress Arabidopsis transgenic plants osmotic stress proline soluble sugars osmotic adjustment turgid weight/dry weight ratio transpiration rates relative water content |