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Characterization of wheat Wrab18 gene promoter and expression analysis under abiotic stress

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A Correction to this article was published on 03 November 2023

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Abstract

Background

Promoters play key roles in plant gene expression in complex and varied natural environments. The type and amount of cis-acting elements in the promoter sequence tend to indicate the response of genes to induction factors. WRAB18 is a group III member of the late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) protein family that performs multiple functions in plant stress physiology. To elucidate the particularly biological effects of WRAB18 on stress, exploration of its promoter sequence is necessary.

Methods and results

In this study, the full-length and promoter sequences of Wrab18 were isolated from the Zhengyin 1 cultivar of Triticum aestivum. The gene sequences and cis-acting elements in the promoter were analyzed using the Plant Promoter Database and bioinformatics methods. The results showed that Wrab18 possessed one intron with 100 bp, the promoter sequence contained various stress-related cis-acting elements, and the functionality of the promoter was checked using green fluorescent protein (GFP) marker protein expression by transient assay in Nicotiana benthamiana. Furthermore, based on promoter prediction analysis, quantitative real-time fluorescent PCR results confirmed the response of gene expression levels to stress factors.

Conclusions

In summary, the promoter sequence of Wrab18 plays a role in plant stress responses, contains multiple cis-acting elements, and provides insights into the role of WRAB18 in plant resilience to stress. This study has guiding significance for further studies of gene function and mechanism of action, and lays a theoretical foundation for improving wheat quality.

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Abbreviations

LEA:

Late embryogenesis abundant

qPCR:

Quantitative real-time fluorescent PCR

GFP:

Green fluorescent protein

TSS:

Transcription start site

CTAB:

Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide

LB:

Luria-Bertani

CerealsDB:

Chinese Spring in Cereals Database

ORF:

Open reading frame

PPD:

Plant Promoter Database

ABA:

Abscisic acid

ABREs:

Abscisic acid responsive elements

GARC:

GA response complex

MBS:

MYB binding sites

MCS:

MYC recognition sites

LTREs:

Low temperature-responsive elements

GARE:

GA response element

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr. Zhenqing Bai for his great comments on the earlier version of this manuscript. We also thank Dr. Wenbo Yang for her kind providing for pTF486 vector using in the transient expression assay in N. benthamiana.

Funding

This study was funded by the State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas (grant number: CSBA2015007) and the Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education (grant number: 20120204110033).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, Shandong, P. R. China

    Xiaoyu Wang & Bo Wang

  2. College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest Agriculture & Forestry University, Yangling, Shannxi, P. R. China

    Hao Liu, Zhengyang Yu & Linsheng Zhang

  3. College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi′an, Shannxi, P. R. China

    Weining Zhu

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  1. Xiaoyu Wang
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  2. Hao Liu
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  3. Zhengyang Yu
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  4. Weining Zhu
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  5. Linsheng Zhang
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Xiaoyu Wang and Linsheng Zhang designed the study. Zhengyang Yu and Weining Zhu analyzed the promoter sequence, and performed experiment with Xiaoyu Wang and Hao Liu. Xiaoyu Wang prepared the manuscripts, Bo Wang performed the transient expression assay and participated in the revision of the article. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Bo Wang.

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Wang, X., Liu, H., Yu, Z. et al. Characterization of wheat Wrab18 gene promoter and expression analysis under abiotic stress. Mol Biol Rep 50, 5777–5789 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-023-08485-3

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