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Overexpression of the Arabidopsis photorespiratory pathway gene, serine: glyoxylate aminotransferase (AtAGT1), leads to salt stress tolerance in transgenic duckweed (Lemna minor)

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Abstract

Salt stress has attracted increasing attention due to its toxic ability to restrict plant growth, and the photorespiration pathway has been shown to develop improved plant tolerance to abiotic stress. In this study, an Arabidopsis photorespiratory pathway gene serine: glyoxylate aminotransferase (SGAT), named as AtAGT1, was successfully overexpressed in duckweed (Lemna minor) to investigate the salinity defense capability in three transgenic overexpressed (OE) lines. Increased SGAT activity and decreased endogenous serine levels in these transgenic plant lines under salt stress resulted in enhanced protection against root abscission, higher maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), increased defense from cell damage as a result of improved cell membrane integrity, a decrease of reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, and a strengthened antioxidant system. The salt tolerance in these transgenic OE lines indicates that the improvement of photorespiration stimulated the antioxidant system to scavenge ROS. The change of serine level also suggests the role of serine during salt stress. This transgenic engineering in duckweed not only introduced salt tolerance to this aquatic plant but also reveals a significant role of photorespiration during salinity stress.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30870185 and No. 31270296) and partially by Tianjin Municipal Science and Technology Commision (No. 11ZCKFSF01200).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China

    Lin Yang, Huajun Han, Miaomiao Liu, Kaiqiang Zhou, Jianchao Lü, Yerong Zhu, Yanling Bai & Yong Wang

  2. Research Center for Grape, Tianjin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Tianjin, 300192, China

    Zhaojiang Zuo

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  1. Lin Yang
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Correspondence to Yong Wang.

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Yang, L., Han, H., Liu, M. et al. Overexpression of the Arabidopsis photorespiratory pathway gene, serine: glyoxylate aminotransferase (AtAGT1), leads to salt stress tolerance in transgenic duckweed (Lemna minor). Plant Cell Tiss Organ Cult 113, 407–416 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-012-0280-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-012-0280-0

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