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RhNAC31, a novel rose NAC transcription factor, enhances tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses in Arabidopsis

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Abstract

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This work identifies a new rose NAM/CUC subgroup member, RhNAC31. Overexpression of RhNAC31 in Arabidopsis confers salt, cold, and drought tolerance along with enhanced ABA sensitivity.

Abstract

Plant-specific NAM, ATAF1/2, and CUC (NAC) transcription factors serve essential functions in plant development and plant responses to environmental cues. Yet, transcription factors specific to the rose (Rosa hybrida) NAM/CUC3 subfamily are poorly understood. Here, we identify a novel NAM/CUC3-subfamily transcription factor, RhNAC31, that is associated with flower opening and can be induced by increased salt, cold, and dehydration stress treatment. RhNAC31 has a transactivation region in its C-terminal region, and its overexpression is associated with enhanced cold tolerance in Arabidopsis, conferring a higher survival rate and reduced reactive oxygen (H2O2 and O2−) levels. Under salt stress conditions, plants overexpressing RhNAC31 displayed increased germination rates and lower levels of H2O2, malondiadehyde (MDA), peroxidase (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Moreover, RhNAC31 conferred enhanced drought resistance by reducing the rate of water loss through leaves. Further characterization revealed a higher sensitivity of RhNAC31 transgenic plants to abscisic acid (ABA) both during and post-germination, causing lower germination and root inhibition rates under ABA treatment. Quantitative PCR experiments showed that numerous abiotic stress-related genes were activated by RhNAC31 overexpression. Our results highlight RhNAC31 as a positive transcriptional regulator of tolerance to multiple abiotic pressures, and we conclude that RhNAC31 has potential for use in the molecular breeding of stress-tolerant crops.

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Abbreviations

ABA:

Abscisic acid

DAB:

Diaminobenzidine

H2O2 :

Hydrogen peroxide

MDA:

Malondialdehyde

MS:

Murashige and Skoog

NBT:

Nitroblue tetrazolium

ORF:

Open reading frame

O2 − :

Superoxide anion

POD:

Peroxidase

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

TFs:

Transcription factors

qRT-PCR:

Quantitative reverse transcription PCR

WT:

Wild type

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Promotive Research Fund for Excellent Young and Middle-Aged Scientists of Shandong Province (No. BS2014SW032), National Key Research and Development Project of China (2018YFD1000400), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31501798).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Landscape Architecture and Forestry, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, Shandong, China

    Aiqin Ding, Shaocui Li, Wei Li, Qing Hao, Xueli Wan, Kuiling Wang, Qingchao Liu, Qinghua Liu & Xinqiang Jiang

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  1. Aiqin Ding
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  2. Shaocui Li
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  3. Wei Li
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  4. Qing Hao
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Correspondence to Xinqiang Jiang.

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Ding, A., Li, S., Li, W. et al. RhNAC31, a novel rose NAC transcription factor, enhances tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses in Arabidopsis. Acta Physiol Plant 41, 75 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-019-2866-1

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