Over-Expression of a Melon Y3SK2-Type <i>LEA</i> Gene Confers Drought and Salt Tolerance in Transgenic Tobacco Plants
Climate change, with its attendant negative effects, is expected to hamper agricultural production in the coming years. To counteract these negative effects, breeding of environmentally resilient plants via conventional means and genetic engineering is necessary. Stress defense genes are valuable to...
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MDPI AG
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/9/12/1749 |
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| author | Samuel Aduse Poku Peter Nkachukwu Chukwurah Htut Htet Aung Ikuo Nakamura |
| author_facet | Samuel Aduse Poku Peter Nkachukwu Chukwurah Htut Htet Aung Ikuo Nakamura |
| author_sort | Samuel Aduse Poku |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Climate change, with its attendant negative effects, is expected to hamper agricultural production in the coming years. To counteract these negative effects, breeding of environmentally resilient plants via conventional means and genetic engineering is necessary. Stress defense genes are valuable tools by which this can be achieved. Here we report the successful cloning and functional characterization of a melon Y3SK2-type dehydrin gene, designated as <i>CmLEA-S</i>. We generated <i>CmLEA-S</i> overexpressing transgenic tobacco lines and performed in vitro and in vivo drought and salt stress analyses. Seeds of transgenic tobacco plants grown on 10% polyethylene glycol (PEG) showed significantly higher germination rates relative to wild-type seeds. In the same way, transgenic seeds grown on 150 mM sodium chloride (NaCl) recorded significantly higher germination percentages compared with wild-type plants. The fresh weights and root lengths of young transgenic plants subjected to drought stress were significantly higher than that of wild-type plants. Similarly, the fresh weights and root lengths of transgenic seedlings subjected to salt stress treatments were also significantly higher than wild-type plants. Moreover, transgenic plants subjected to drought and salt stresses in vivo showed fewer signs of wilting and chlorosis, respectively. Biochemical assays revealed that transgenic plants accumulated more proline and less malondialdehyde (MDA) compared with wild-type plants under both drought and salt stress conditions. Finally, the enzymatic activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and catalase (CAT) were enhanced in drought- and salt-stressed transgenic lines. These results suggest that the <i>CmLEA-S</i> gene could be used as a potential candidate gene for crop improvement. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:10:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7ab8958f712245eebd95bc31fc5770a2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:10:46Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-7ab8958f712245eebd95bc31fc5770a22023-11-21T00:12:32ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472020-12-01912174910.3390/plants9121749Over-Expression of a Melon Y3SK2-Type <i>LEA</i> Gene Confers Drought and Salt Tolerance in Transgenic Tobacco PlantsSamuel Aduse Poku0Peter Nkachukwu Chukwurah1Htut Htet Aung2Ikuo Nakamura3Laboratory of Plant Cell Technology, Chiba University, 648 Matsudo, Chiba 271-8510, JapanLaboratory of Plant Cell Technology, Chiba University, 648 Matsudo, Chiba 271-8510, JapanLaboratory of Plant Cell Technology, Chiba University, 648 Matsudo, Chiba 271-8510, JapanLaboratory of Plant Cell Technology, Chiba University, 648 Matsudo, Chiba 271-8510, JapanClimate change, with its attendant negative effects, is expected to hamper agricultural production in the coming years. To counteract these negative effects, breeding of environmentally resilient plants via conventional means and genetic engineering is necessary. Stress defense genes are valuable tools by which this can be achieved. Here we report the successful cloning and functional characterization of a melon Y3SK2-type dehydrin gene, designated as <i>CmLEA-S</i>. We generated <i>CmLEA-S</i> overexpressing transgenic tobacco lines and performed in vitro and in vivo drought and salt stress analyses. Seeds of transgenic tobacco plants grown on 10% polyethylene glycol (PEG) showed significantly higher germination rates relative to wild-type seeds. In the same way, transgenic seeds grown on 150 mM sodium chloride (NaCl) recorded significantly higher germination percentages compared with wild-type plants. The fresh weights and root lengths of young transgenic plants subjected to drought stress were significantly higher than that of wild-type plants. Similarly, the fresh weights and root lengths of transgenic seedlings subjected to salt stress treatments were also significantly higher than wild-type plants. Moreover, transgenic plants subjected to drought and salt stresses in vivo showed fewer signs of wilting and chlorosis, respectively. Biochemical assays revealed that transgenic plants accumulated more proline and less malondialdehyde (MDA) compared with wild-type plants under both drought and salt stress conditions. Finally, the enzymatic activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and catalase (CAT) were enhanced in drought- and salt-stressed transgenic lines. These results suggest that the <i>CmLEA-S</i> gene could be used as a potential candidate gene for crop improvement.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/9/12/1749abiotic stresslate embryogenesis abundant proteinstress tolerance |
| spellingShingle | Samuel Aduse Poku Peter Nkachukwu Chukwurah Htut Htet Aung Ikuo Nakamura Over-Expression of a Melon Y3SK2-Type <i>LEA</i> Gene Confers Drought and Salt Tolerance in Transgenic Tobacco Plants Plants abiotic stress late embryogenesis abundant protein stress tolerance |
| title | Over-Expression of a Melon Y3SK2-Type <i>LEA</i> Gene Confers Drought and Salt Tolerance in Transgenic Tobacco Plants |
| title_full | Over-Expression of a Melon Y3SK2-Type <i>LEA</i> Gene Confers Drought and Salt Tolerance in Transgenic Tobacco Plants |
| title_fullStr | Over-Expression of a Melon Y3SK2-Type <i>LEA</i> Gene Confers Drought and Salt Tolerance in Transgenic Tobacco Plants |
| title_full_unstemmed | Over-Expression of a Melon Y3SK2-Type <i>LEA</i> Gene Confers Drought and Salt Tolerance in Transgenic Tobacco Plants |
| title_short | Over-Expression of a Melon Y3SK2-Type <i>LEA</i> Gene Confers Drought and Salt Tolerance in Transgenic Tobacco Plants |
| title_sort | over expression of a melon y3sk2 type i lea i gene confers drought and salt tolerance in transgenic tobacco plants |
| topic | abiotic stress late embryogenesis abundant protein stress tolerance |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/9/12/1749 |
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