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Expression of a DREB 5-A subgroup transcription factor gene from Ricinus communis (RcDREB1) enhanced growth, drought tolerance and pollen viability in tobacco

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Abstract

Climate change has increased the frequency of long periods of drought, affecting crop cultivation worldwide. Losses due to water stress exceed 10% of world production of major crops, reaching three-quarters of production areas, with severe economic losses. Therefore, the generation of environmental stress-tolerant genotypes that are more efficient in water use is extremely important. We have previously isolated and characterized a DREB transcription factor coding gene, named RcDREB1, from castor bean (Ricinus communis L.), which probably belongs to the CBF/DREB subfamily subgroup A-5. Aiming to develop drought-tolerant lines, we have stably introduced and expressed the RcDREB1 transgene into tobacco. Transgenic lines have revealed an enhanced drought tolerance. Genetically modified lines cultivated under water deficit presented a higher photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, leaf water potential and leaf water content when compared to the control. Transgenic lines revealed lower transpiration rates. In addition, biometric analyses showed that transgenic lines cultivated under water stress presented higher biomass, higher fresh and dry weight and higher plant height than the non-transgenic lines. After re-watering, transgenic lines recovered faster than non-transgenic plants. Moreover, pollen grains from transgenic plants revealed a remarkable increase in viability after exposure to heat (38 °C) and desiccation stresses. The results presented here will be the foundation for production of commercial crops that are more tolerant to environmental stresses and long-life pollen grains, increasing pollination and in consequence, productivity.

Key message

A DREB gene isolated from castor bean was expressed in tobacco plants. Genically modified plants presented a remarkable tolerance to water-deific stress and pollens were more tolerance to high temperatures and dehydration. These results paved the way for the development of drought tolerant and high yield crops.

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Abbreviations

DREB :

Dehydration Responsive Element Binding

RcDREB1 :

Ricinus communis Dehydration Responsive Element Binding

CBF :

C-repeat binding factor

TFs :

Transcription Factors

AP2/ERF :

APETALA2/Ethylene Responsive Factor

ERF :

Ethylene Responsive Element Binding Factor

DRE/CRT :

Dehydration Responsive Element/C-repeat

ABA :

Abscisic Acid

Gus :

β-glucuronidase gene

CaMV :

Cauliflower mosaic virus

AMV :

Alfalfa mosaic virus

PAT :

Phosphinothricin Acetyl-Transferase

RWC :

Relative water content

FW :

Fresh Weight

MS :

Murashige and Skoog basal salt mixture growth medium

WT :

Wild Type

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq, Grant No. 307111/2018-0). TFCR was supported by a fellowship from CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior).

Funding

Funding was provided by Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior.

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Author notes

  1. Tomas Felipe Costa do Rego and Mirella Pupo Santos have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Pq EB W5 Norte, Brasília, DF, 70770-900, Brazil

    Tomas Felipe Costa do Rego, Mirella Pupo Santos, Glaucia Barbosa Cabral, Thaís de Moura Cipriano, Natália Lima de Sousa, Otacílio Antônio de Souza Neto & Francisco José Lima Aragão

  2. Departamento de Biologia Celular, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil

    Tomas Felipe Costa do Rego & Francisco José Lima Aragão

  3. Laboratório de Biotecnologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Nupem, Macaé, RJ, 27910-970, Brazil

    Mirella Pupo Santos

  4. Laboratório de Biotecnologia Vegetal, União Pioneira de Integração Social, Fazenda Lagoa Bonita, BR 020 KM 12, DF 335 KM 4,8, Planaltina, DF, Brazil

    Thaís de Moura Cipriano

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  1. Tomas Felipe Costa do Rego
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Correspondence to Francisco José Lima Aragão.

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do Rego, T.F.C., Santos, M.P., Cabral, G.B. et al. Expression of a DREB 5-A subgroup transcription factor gene from Ricinus communis (RcDREB1) enhanced growth, drought tolerance and pollen viability in tobacco. Plant Cell Tiss Organ Cult 146, 493–504 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-021-02082-7

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