Full-Length Cloning and Characterization of Abiotic Stress Responsive <i>CIPK31-Like</i> Gene from Finger Millet, a Drought-Tolerant Crop

Abstract

Regulatory proteins such as protein kinases are known to play a crucial role in plant stress acclimation pathways. In this study, we report the identification and characterization of an abiotic stress responsive protein kinase called CBL Interacting Protein Kinase (EcCIPK31-like) from finger millet, a drought-tolerant crop. PCR-based approach was followed to clone 1350 bp coding region that encodes a 449 amino acid protein with a calculated molecular mass of 50.69 kDa. The conserved domain analysis revealed the presence of CIPK domain with 90% sequence similarity with fox tail millet SiCIPK31-like gene. We also report its upregulation under salinity, desiccation, oxidative and temperature stresses at seedling level in finger millet. Drought stress at wholeplant level significantly induced the expression of EcCIPK31-like, indicating that the gene is linked to drought signalling pathways. The stress-responsive nature of EcCIPK31-like to diverse stresses indicates that the gene could regulate multiple cellular tolerance traits and its further functional validation can highlight the relevance in abiotic stress acclimation in plants.

Calcineurin B‐like interacting protein kinase 31 confers resistance to sheath blight via modulation of ROS homeostasis in rice

“…Because CIPK31 inhibits both RBOHA and CatC and promotes ROS levels, further genetic study with a combination of rboha × catc will be interesting to dissect the mechanism of CIPK31‐mediated ROS homeostasis. Taken together, CIPK31 confers resistance to ShB (Figures 1a–f and 2a–e ), rice blast (Lin et al, 2021 ), and bacterial blight (Figure S2e–h ), and plays roles in growth and development in plants (Cho et al, 2019 ; Nagarjuna et al, 2016 ; Peng et al, 2018 ; Piao et al, 2010 ). However, clearly, CIPK31 interacts with CatC to modulate ROS homeostasis to promote rice resistance.…”

Finger Millet [Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.] Improvement: Current Status and Future Interventions of Whole Genome Sequence

“…Two abiotic stress responsive TFs belonging to bZIP family ( EcbZIP60 ) ( Babitha et al, 2015a ) and Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family ( EcbHLH57 ) ( Babitha et al, 2015b ) were identified in GPU-28 genotype of finger millet under drought, osmotic, salt and methyl viologen (MV) stresses. Nagarjuna et al (2016) identified and characterized CBL interacting protein kinase31 ( EcCIPK31- like) gene responsible for drought tolerance in finger millet. A TATA box Binding Protein (TBP)- Associated Factors (TAFs) gene ( EcTAF6 ) was identified in GPU-28 genotypes of finger millet under drought stress ( Parvathi and Nataraja, 2017 ).…”