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Expression of ethylene response factors (ERFs) From Betula platyphylla and the confer salt and drought tolerance analysis in a yeast

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Abstract

Ethylene response factors (ERFs) are plant-specific transcription factors that function as multiple regulators in various stress-responsive pathways. In the current study, to investigate the transcription patterns of ERFs in response to salt and drought treatments, four ERF genes were cloned and identified from Japanese white birch (Betula platyphylla). The real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) results showed that these four BpERF genes all responded to NaCl and PEG stress. Most BpERF genes were significantly induced in roots and leaves, but not in stems, such as BpERF 1,4 under NaCl treatment, and exhibited tissue-specific expression profiles in response to different abiotic stress. Further, we cloned the four BpERF genes into pYES2 vector, transformed and expressed these genes in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to investigate their tolerance to salt and drought stress. Compared with the control (yeast transformed with empty pYES2), yeast cells expressing BpERF genes showed improved tolerance to salt and drought stress, indicating that these BpERFs could confer salt and drought tolerance to transgenic yeast cells. These results suggested that these BpERF genes play important roles in abiotic stress tolerance in B. platyphylla.

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Abbreviations

TFs:

Transcription factors

ERFs:

Ethylene response factors

ORF:

Open read frame

RT-PCR:

Real time polymerase chain reaction

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Foundation for the Author of National Excellent Doctoral Dissertation of China (Grant Number 200973) and Funds for Distinguished Young Scientists of Heilongjiang Province (Grant Number JC201102).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China

    Wenhui Zhang, Xuezhong Zou, Dan Mu, Hongyan Li, Dandan Zang & Yucheng Wang

  2. Agronomy College, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, 163319, China

    Wenhui Zhang

  3. Academy of Forestry, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Yangling, 712100, China

    Guiyan Yang

  4. Liaoning Forestry Vocational and Technical College, 110101, Shenyang, China

    Xuezhong Zou

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  1. Wenhui Zhang
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  2. Guiyan Yang
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  3. Xuezhong Zou
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  5. Hongyan Li
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Correspondence to Yucheng Wang.

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Zhang, W., Yang, G., Zou, X. et al. Expression of ethylene response factors (ERFs) From Betula platyphylla and the confer salt and drought tolerance analysis in a yeast. J. Plant Biochem. Biotechnol. 26, 35–42 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13562-016-0357-7

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