Overexpression of AmCBF1 enhances drought and cold stress tolerance, and improves photosynthesis in transgenic cotton

Abstract

China’s main cotton production area is located in the northwest where abiotic stresses, particularly cold and drought, have serious effects on cotton production. In this study, Ammopiptanthus mongolicus C-repeat-binding factor (AmCBF1) isolated from the shrub Ammopiptanthus mongolicus was inserted into upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cultivar R15 to evaluate the potential benefits of this gene. Two transgenic lines were selected, and the transgene insertion site was identified using whole-genome sequencing. The results showed that AmCBF1 was incorporated into the cotton genome as a single copy. Transgenic plants had distinctly higher relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll content, soluble sugar content, and lower ion leakage than R15 after drought and cold stress. Some characteristics, such as the area of lower epidermal cells, stomatal density, and root to shoot ratio, varied significantly between transgenic cotton lines and R15. Although the photosynthetic ability of transgenic plants was inhibited after stress, the net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate in transgenic plants were significantly higher than in R15. This suggested that an enhanced stress tolerance and photosynthesis of transgenic cotton was achieved by overexpressing AmCBF1. All together, our results demonstrate that the new transgenic cotton germplasm has great application value against abiotic stresses, especially in the northwest inland area of China.

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“…Under winter conditions, the plant increases the level of dark-sustained thermal energy dissipation to dissipate excess excitation energy within the photosynthetic system, thereby mitigating photo-oxidative damage to leaf tissues due to cold stress [64]. The insertion of AmCBF1 from A. mongolicus into Upland cotton R15 enhanced the drought and cold stress tolerance of transgenic cotton and improved photosynthesis [65] Additionally, Fei and colleagues [66] have elucidated certain aspects of the cold tolerance physiology in Ammopiptanthus. Utilizing a suite of biochemical techniques, they have successfully isolated and purified a variety of highly active antifreeze proteins (AFPs) from the leaves of Ammopiptanthus, which are known to enhance the plant's frost resistance [66].…”