Overexpression of EsMcsu1 from the halophytic plant Eutrema salsugineum promotes abscisic acid biosynthesis and increases drought resistance in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

Abstract

ABSTRACT. The stress phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) plays pivotal roles in plants' adaptive responses to adverse environments. Molybdenum cofactor sulfurases influence aldehyde oxidase activity and ABA biosynthesis. In this study, we isolated a novel EsMcsu1 gene encoding a molybdenum cofactor sulfurase from Eutrema salsugineum. EsMcus1 transcriptional patterns varied between organs, and its expression was significantly upregulated by abiotic stress or ABA treatment. Alfalfa plants that overexpressed EsMcsu1 had a higher ABA content than wild-type (WT) plants under drought stress conditions. Furthermore, levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), ion leakage, and malondialdehyde were lower in the transgenic plants than in the WT plants after drought treatment, suggesting that the transgenic plants experienced less ROS-mediated damage. However, the expression of several stress-responsive genes, antioxidant 17205 EsMcsu1 overexpression confers drought resistance to alfalfa ©FUNPEC-RP www.funpecrp.com.br Genetics and Molecular Research 14 (4): 17204-17218 (2015) enzyme activity, and osmolyte (proline and total soluble sugar) levels in the transgenic plants were higher than those in the WT plants after drought treatment. Therefore, EsMcsu1 overexpression improved drought tolerance in alfalfa plants by activating a series of ABA-mediated stress responses.

Cloning and characterization of a novel betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase gene from Suaeda corniculata

“…The accumulation of proline and increased activity of antioxidants, such as SOD, APX (Ascorbate peroxidase), and CAT (Catalase), are known to play important roles in the induction of salt tolerance (Abraham and Dhar, 2010;Fan et al, 2012). Our data showed that proline levels increased during salt stress, especially in transgenic plants ( Figure 4A), which is consistent with findings in transgenic plants overexpressing EsMcsu1 from Eutrema salsugineum (Zhou et al, 2015). SOD activity declined after NaCl treatment, but to a lesser extent in transgenic plants than in WT plants ( Figure 4B).…”

Rhizobacterial Strain Bacillus megaterium BOFC15 Induces Cellular Polyamine Changes that Improve Plant Growth and Drought Resistance

“…Moreover, PAs can directly bind several macromolecules, including proteins and nucleic acids, and protects them against ROS-induced oxidative injuries. Our data showed that the values of IL and MDA, which are important indexes of membrane damage [ 29 , 30 ], were much lower in the inoculated plants than in the control plants under DS conditions. Similarly, the inoculated plants had lower ROS production and MDA and IL levels than the control plants under PEG-induced stress conditions (mimic drought stress).…”

“…The scavenging capacity for reactive oxygen species (ROS) is essential for plants to tolerate drought stress [ 29 , 30 ]. Two major types of ROS including O 2 − and H 2 O 2 were detected in both the control and inoculated plants.…”

“…We found that the inoculated plants had stronger tolerance to drought stress than the control plants. The chlorophyll content and photosynthetic efficiency are generally taken as the primary indexes of plant stress tolerance [ 29 , 30 ]. Inoculated plants had more chlorophyll content than the control plants under DS conditions, but no significant difference was observed between the control and inoculated plants under WW conditions.…”

NJ cluster analysis of the SnRK2, PYR/PYL/RCAR, and ABF genes in Tibetan hulless barley

“…Georg-Kraemer et al (2011) analyzed differential gene expression patterns in Hordeum euclaston. Zhou et al (2015) isolated a novel EsMcsu1 gene encoding a molybdenum cofactor from Eutrema salsugineum, which promotes the ABA biosynthesis and increases drought resistance in alfalfa. However, there is still little information about the SnRK2, PYR/PYL/RCAR, and ABF gene families in Tibetan hulless barley (Hordeum vulgare L. var.…”