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Transgenic tomato overexpressing ath-miR399d improves growth under abiotic stress conditions

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Abstract

Phosphorus (P) is an essential element required for plant growth and development. Abiotic stresses, such as cold and P deficiency cause adverse effects on growth of plants, inhibit accumulation or translocation of mineral nutrients such as P, and often constrain the productivity and quality of crops. miR399 as a long-distance signal controls systemic phosphate homeostasis by modulating phosphate uptake and transport. However, overexpression of miR399 causes P toxicity and results in retarded growth. Thus, we constructed a transgenic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L., C1), which contains foreign gene ath-miR399d under the control of rd29A promoter. In the transgenic C1 expression of the miR399d gene showed a stress-inducible pattern. Results showed that miR399d was moderately up-regulated in response to salinity and cold stresses. In soil, dry weight was enhanced in transgenic tomato under low temperature and P deficiency conditions. The transgenic tomato has potential to improve growth when it is exposed to other abiotic stresses such as salinity and drought.

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Abbreviations

24/16:

plants grown in chamber at 24°C for day-time and at 16°C for night-time

24/24:

plants grown in chamber at constant 24°C

P0:

150 mg P2O5/kg soil as KH2PO4 added into soil

P1:

300 mg P2O5/kg soil as KH2PO4 added into soil

Pi:

inorganic phosphorus

RT-qPCR:

real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR

WT:

wild type

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China

    N. Gao, X. M. Qiang, J. Min & W. M. Shi

  2. College of Resource and Environment, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Beijing, China

    X. M. Qiang & B. N. Zhai

Authors
  1. N. Gao
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  2. X. M. Qiang
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  3. B. N. Zhai
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  4. J. Min
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  5. W. M. Shi
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Correspondence to W. M. Shi.

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Gao, N., Qiang, X.M., Zhai, B.N. et al. Transgenic tomato overexpressing ath-miR399d improves growth under abiotic stress conditions. Russ J Plant Physiol 62, 360–366 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1021443715030061

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1021443715030061

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