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Ectopic expression of the Lycium barbarum β-carotene hydroxylase gene (chyb) enhances drought and salt stress resistance by increasing xanthophyll cycle pool in tobacco

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Abstract

Abiotic stresses, such as drought and salinity, are major limiting factors for plant growth and reproduction. Carotenoids play key roles in response to abiotic stresses. To identify the role of Lycium barbarum β-carotene hydroxylase gene (chyb) under drought and salt stress, we checked the physiological and biochemical properties of chyb-overexpressing transgenic tobacco. Ectopic expression of chyb in tobacco increased the drought and salt tolerance in the transgenic lines. The amounts of xanthophylls cycle pigments were significantly increased in the transgenic lines compared with the controls. Under osmotic stress conditions, the root length and shoot biomass of the transgenic lines were significantly increased. Under drought stress conditions, the transgenic lines leaves lost water slower than the WT plants and the photosynthesis rate and SOD activity were significantly increased, whereas stomatal conductance and malondialdehyde content were decreased in the transgenic lines. Under salt stress conditions, proline and chlorophyll levels of the transgenic lines were significantly increased, whereas malondialdehyde and Na+/K+ ratios were significantly decreased. Thus, these findings suggest that L. barbarum chyb gene dramatically enlarge the xanthophyll cycle pool size, which plays an important role in resistance to drought and salt stress in tobacco.

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Abbreviations

chyb :

β-Carotene hydroxylase gene

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

MS medium:

Murashige–Skoog medium

PCR:

Polymerase chain reaction

PEG:

Polyethylene glycol

RWC:

Relative water content

TAE:

Tris–acetate–EDTA

qPCR:

Quantitative real-time PCR

HPLC:

High performance liquid chromatography

MDA:

Malondialdehyde

TBA:

Thiobarbituric acid

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

ABA:

Abscisic acid

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of People’s Republic of China (Nos. 31271793, 31271419), the National Genetically Modified Organism Major Projects of China (2014ZX08003-002B), Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin, China (10JCYBJC09000) and Tianjin Municipal Education Commission (Grant Number: 20140605).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, People’s Republic of China

    Jiang Wu, Jing Ji, Gang Wang, Guangxia Wu, Jinjin Diao & Zhaodi Li

  2. School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, People’s Republic of China

    Jing Ji & Gang Wang

  3. College of Agronomy and Resources and Environment, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, 300384, People’s Republic of China

    Jiang Wu, Xiaoqiang Chen, Yao Chen & Lan Luo

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  1. Jiang Wu
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  2. Jing Ji
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  4. Guangxia Wu
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  5. Jinjin Diao
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  6. Zhaodi Li
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  8. Yao Chen
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  9. Lan Luo
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Correspondence to Jing Ji or Gang Wang.

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Wu, J., Ji, J., Wang, G. et al. Ectopic expression of the Lycium barbarum β-carotene hydroxylase gene (chyb) enhances drought and salt stress resistance by increasing xanthophyll cycle pool in tobacco. Plant Cell Tiss Organ Cult 121, 559–569 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-015-0725-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-015-0725-3

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