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Expressional characterization of two class I trehalose-6-phosphate synthase genes in Hevea brasiliensis (para rubber tree) suggests a role in rubber production

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Abstract

In plants, trehalose-6-phosphate (Tre6P) synthesized by the Tre6P synthase (TPS) acts as a signal metabolite in regulating sucrose metabolism in relation to plant growth and development. The Hevea genome predicts a total of 14 TPS genes, and two class I TPS members, HbTPS1 and 2, were explored here for their expressions under various hormone and abiotic stress treatments. HbTPS1 and 2 expressions in latex, cytoplasm of rubber-producing laticifers, were markedly affected by the treatments of ethephon (2-chloroethylphosphonic acid, an ethylene releaser), 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, jasmonic acid and salicylic acid although in a distinct manner. HbTPS1 and 2 expressions were significantly up-regulated in a similar manner by cold (5 °C) and heat (40 °C) as examined in Hevea seedling leaves and roots, and by wounding in latex. In comparison, the drought treatment (20% PEG) posed a different effect on HbTPS1 and 2 expressions in Hevea seedlings. For example, in roots, HbTPS1 transcripts accumulated with the treatment, whereas those of HbTPS2 decreased for the first 24 h. Various hormone- and stress-responsive elements could be in silico predicted in HbTPS1 and 2 promoters, and a universal expression was observed for the HbTPS1::GUS activity in all growth stages of transgenic Arabidopsis. These results, coupled with the fact of rubber biosynthesis as a defense response using sucrose as the precursor molecule, propose a potential role of TPS genes in regulating rubber production.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (31570672) and the National High Technology Research and Development Program (863) (2013AA102605).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, Hainan, China

    Binhui Zhou, Yujie Fan & Ying Wang

  2. Rubber Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Danzhou, 571737, Hainan, China

    Binhui Zhou, Yongjun Fang, Yujie Fan, Jiyan Qi & Chaorong Tang

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  1. Binhui Zhou
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  2. Yongjun Fang
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  3. Yujie Fan
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Correspondence to Chaorong Tang.

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Zhou, B., Fang, Y., Fan, Y. et al. Expressional characterization of two class I trehalose-6-phosphate synthase genes in Hevea brasiliensis (para rubber tree) suggests a role in rubber production. New Forests 48, 513–526 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11056-017-9578-4

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