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A novel DREB transcription factor from Halimodendron halodendron leads to enhance drought and salt tolerance in Arabidopsis

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  • Published:
Biologia Plantarum

Abstract

A new member of the APETALA2/ethylene responsive element binding protein (AP2/EREBP) transcription factor family, HhDREB2, was isolated from Halimodendron halodendron. Based on the similarity of the AP2/ERF domain, HhDREB2 was classified into A-5 group of the DREB subfamily. The expression of HhDREB2 gene was induced by drought, high salinity, and low temperature, but not by exogenous plant hormones. Trans-activity assay demonstrated that HhDREB2 gene encodes a transcription activator. Furthermore, over-expression of HhDREB2 gene under the stress-inducible rd29A promotor in Arabidopsis resulted in enhanced tolerance to salt and drought stresses. The overall results reveal that HhDREB2 functioned as important transcription factor in regulation of stress-responsive signaling in plants and may be used for improving plant tolerance to abiotic stresses.

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Abbreviations

ABA:

abscisic acid

BA:

6-benzylaminopurine

CaMV:

cauliflower mosaic virus

DREB:

dehydration responsive element binding

GA3 :

gibberellic acid

GFP:

green fluorescent protein

MS:

Murashige and Skoog

NAA:

1-naphthaleneacetic acid

RACE:

rapid amplification of cDNA ends

TBA:

thiobarbituric acid

TCA:

trichloroacetic acid

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Grassland Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Huhhot, 010010, Nei Mongol, P.R. China

    J. -T. Ma & Z. -L. Wang

  2. Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, P.R. China

    J. -T. Ma, C. -C. Yin, Q. -Q. Guo, M. -L. Zhou & Y. -M. Wu

  3. School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand

    Q. -Q. Guo

Authors
  1. J. -T. Ma
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  2. C. -C. Yin
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  3. Q. -Q. Guo
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  4. M. -L. Zhou
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  5. Z. -L. Wang
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  6. Y. -M. Wu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Y. -M. Wu.

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Acknowledgments: This work was supported by the National Program on Key Basic Research Project (973 Program) (Grant No. 2014CB138701) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31372361).

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Ma, J.T., Yin, C.C., Guo, Q.Q. et al. A novel DREB transcription factor from Halimodendron halodendron leads to enhance drought and salt tolerance in Arabidopsis . Biol Plant 59, 74–82 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-014-0467-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-014-0467-9

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