Zinc-finger proteins are important transcription factors in plants, responding to adversity and regulating the growth and development of plants. However, the roles of the BBX gene family of zinc-finger proteins in wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox) have yet to be elucidated. In this study, a group IV subfamily BBX gene, CpBBX19, was identified and isolated from wintersweet. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analyses revealed that CpBBX19 was expressed in all tissues and that expression was highest in cotyledons and inner petals. CpBBX19 was also expressed in all flower development stages, with the highest expression detected in early initiating bloom, followed by late initiating bloom and bloom. In addition, the expression of CpBBX19 was induced by different abiotic stress (cold, heat, NaCl, and drought) and hormone (ABA and MeJA) treatments. Heterologous expression of CpBBX19 in Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) enhanced the tolerance of this plant to salt and drought stress as electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations in transgenic Arabidopsis after stress treatments were significantly lower than those in wild-type (WT) plants. In conclusion, this research demonstrated that CpBBX19 plays a role in the abiotic stress tolerance of wintersweet. These findings lay a foundation for future studies on the BBX gene family of wintersweet and enrich understanding of the molecular mechanism of stress resistance in wintersweet.
Plant senescence is a complex process that is controlled by developmental regulation and genetic programs. A senescence-related gene, CpSRG1, which belongs to the 2OG-Fe(II) dioxygenase superfamily, was characterized from wintersweet, and the phylogenetic relationship of CpSRG1 with homologs from other species was investigated. Tissue-specific expression analysis by qRT-PCR (quantitative real-time PCR) indicated that CpSRG1 is abundant in flower organs, especially in petals and stamen, and the highest CpSRG1 expression was detected in stage 6 (withering period) during flower development. The expression patterns of the CpSRG1 gene were further confirmed in CpSRG1pro::GUS (β-glucuronidase) plants, and the activity of the CpSRG1 promoter was enhanced by exogenous Eth (ethylene), SA (salicylic acid), and GA3 (gibberellin). Heterologous overexpression of CpSRG1 in Arabidopsis promoted growth and flowering, and delayed senescence. Moreover, the survival rates were significantly higher and the root lengths were significantly longer in the transgenic lines than in the wild-type plants, both under low nitrogen stress and GA3 treatment. This indicated that the CpSRG1 gene may promote the synthesis of assimilates in plants through the GA pathway, thereby improving growth and flowering, and delaying senescence in transgenic Arabidopsis. Our study has laid a satisfactory foundation for further analysis of senescence-related genes in wintersweet and wood plants. It also enriched our knowledge of the 2OG-Fe(II) dioxygenase superfamily, which plays a variety of important roles in this plant.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.