Overexpression of <i>LjPLT3</i> Enhances Salt Tolerance in <i>Lotus japonicus</i>

Intracellular polyols are used as osmoprotectants by many plants under environmental stress. However, few studies have shown the role of polyol transporters in the tolerance of plants to abiotic stresses. Here, we describe the expression characteristics and potential functions of <i>Lotus japo...

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Main Authors: Jiao Liu, Leru Liu, Lu Tian, Shaoming Xu, Guojiang Wu, Huawu Jiang, Yaping Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-03-01
Series:International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/6/5149
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author Jiao Liu
Leru Liu
Lu Tian
Shaoming Xu
Guojiang Wu
Huawu Jiang
Yaping Chen
author_facet Jiao Liu
Leru Liu
Lu Tian
Shaoming Xu
Guojiang Wu
Huawu Jiang
Yaping Chen
author_sort Jiao Liu
collection DOAJ
description Intracellular polyols are used as osmoprotectants by many plants under environmental stress. However, few studies have shown the role of polyol transporters in the tolerance of plants to abiotic stresses. Here, we describe the expression characteristics and potential functions of <i>Lotus japonicus</i> polyol transporter LjPLT3 under salt stress. Using <i>LjPLT3</i> promoter-reporter gene plants showed that <i>LjPLT3</i> was expressed in the vascular tissue of <i>L. japonicus</i> leaf, stem, root, and nodule. The expression was also induced by NaCl treatment. Overexpression of <i>LjPLT3</i> in <i>L. japonicus</i> modified the growth rate and saline tolerance of the transgenic plants. The <i>OELjPLT3</i> seedlings displayed reduced plant height under both nitrogen-sufficient and symbiotic nitrogen fixation conditions when 4 weeks old. The nodule number of <i>OELjPLT3</i> plants was reduced by 6.7–27.4% when 4 weeks old. After exposure to a NaCl treatment in Petri dishes for 10 days, <i>OELjPLT3</i> seedlings had a higher chlorophyll concentration, fresh weight, and survival rate than those in the wild type. For symbiotic nitrogen fixation conditions, the decrease in nitrogenase activity of <i>OELjPLT3</i> plants was slower than that of the wild type after salt treatment. Compared to the wild type, both the accumulation of small organic molecules and the activity of antioxidant enzymes were higher under salt stress. Considering the concentration of lower reactive oxygen species (ROS) in transgenic lines, we speculate that overexpression of <i>LjPLT3</i> in <i>L. japonicus</i> might improve the ROS scavenging system to alleviate the oxidative damage caused by salt stress, thereby increasing plant salinity tolerance. Our results will direct the breeding of forage legumes in saline land and also provide an opportunity for the improvement of poor and saline soils.
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spelling doaj.art-8b032ce362fb4b858565cff6bfcf3c002023-11-17T11:29:47ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672023-03-01246514910.3390/ijms24065149Overexpression of <i>LjPLT3</i> Enhances Salt Tolerance in <i>Lotus japonicus</i>Jiao Liu0Leru Liu1Lu Tian2Shaoming Xu3Guojiang Wu4Huawu Jiang5Yaping Chen6Key Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, ChinaKey Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, ChinaKey Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, ChinaKey Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, ChinaKey Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, ChinaKey Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, ChinaKey Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, ChinaIntracellular polyols are used as osmoprotectants by many plants under environmental stress. However, few studies have shown the role of polyol transporters in the tolerance of plants to abiotic stresses. Here, we describe the expression characteristics and potential functions of <i>Lotus japonicus</i> polyol transporter LjPLT3 under salt stress. Using <i>LjPLT3</i> promoter-reporter gene plants showed that <i>LjPLT3</i> was expressed in the vascular tissue of <i>L. japonicus</i> leaf, stem, root, and nodule. The expression was also induced by NaCl treatment. Overexpression of <i>LjPLT3</i> in <i>L. japonicus</i> modified the growth rate and saline tolerance of the transgenic plants. The <i>OELjPLT3</i> seedlings displayed reduced plant height under both nitrogen-sufficient and symbiotic nitrogen fixation conditions when 4 weeks old. The nodule number of <i>OELjPLT3</i> plants was reduced by 6.7–27.4% when 4 weeks old. After exposure to a NaCl treatment in Petri dishes for 10 days, <i>OELjPLT3</i> seedlings had a higher chlorophyll concentration, fresh weight, and survival rate than those in the wild type. For symbiotic nitrogen fixation conditions, the decrease in nitrogenase activity of <i>OELjPLT3</i> plants was slower than that of the wild type after salt treatment. Compared to the wild type, both the accumulation of small organic molecules and the activity of antioxidant enzymes were higher under salt stress. Considering the concentration of lower reactive oxygen species (ROS) in transgenic lines, we speculate that overexpression of <i>LjPLT3</i> in <i>L. japonicus</i> might improve the ROS scavenging system to alleviate the oxidative damage caused by salt stress, thereby increasing plant salinity tolerance. Our results will direct the breeding of forage legumes in saline land and also provide an opportunity for the improvement of poor and saline soils.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/6/5149<i>Lotus japonicus</i>polyol/monosaccharide transporter LjPLT3salinity stressnitrogenase activity
spellingShingle Jiao Liu
Leru Liu
Lu Tian
Shaoming Xu
Guojiang Wu
Huawu Jiang
Yaping Chen
Overexpression of <i>LjPLT3</i> Enhances Salt Tolerance in <i>Lotus japonicus</i>
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
<i>Lotus japonicus</i>
polyol/monosaccharide transporter LjPLT3
salinity stress
nitrogenase activity
title Overexpression of <i>LjPLT3</i> Enhances Salt Tolerance in <i>Lotus japonicus</i>
title_full Overexpression of <i>LjPLT3</i> Enhances Salt Tolerance in <i>Lotus japonicus</i>
title_fullStr Overexpression of <i>LjPLT3</i> Enhances Salt Tolerance in <i>Lotus japonicus</i>
title_full_unstemmed Overexpression of <i>LjPLT3</i> Enhances Salt Tolerance in <i>Lotus japonicus</i>
title_short Overexpression of <i>LjPLT3</i> Enhances Salt Tolerance in <i>Lotus japonicus</i>
title_sort overexpression of i ljplt3 i enhances salt tolerance in i lotus japonicus i
topic <i>Lotus japonicus</i>
polyol/monosaccharide transporter LjPLT3
salinity stress
nitrogenase activity
url https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/6/5149
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