Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Expression of a dehydrin gene during embryo development and drought stress in ABA-deficient mutants of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

  • Published:
Plant Molecular Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The synthesis of a particular class of proteins, the dehydrins, is a common response to drought in plants. Dehydrins are known to be synthesized by the cell in response to abscisic acid, which represents a link between environment and nuclear activity, though dehydrin genes may be expressed even constitutively. We have investigated the relationship between abscisic acid (ABA) and accumulation of a dehydrin mRNA in sunflower, in which a dehydrin cDNA (HaDhn1a) was isolated. In particular, we studied changes in the steady-state level of dehydrin transcripts in two mutants for ABA synthesis and accumulation: nd-1 (an albino, non-dormant and lethal mutant with a very low ABA content and no ABA accumulation in response to stress) and w-1 (a wilty mutant, with reduced ABA accumulation) during embryo and plantlet development and drought stress. Differences between genotypes were observed through embryogenesis: w-1 shows a lower content of dehydrin transcripts in the early stages compared to control plants, indicating that ABA affects dehydrin mRNA accumulation; however, dehydrin transcripts level appears independent of ABA content in late embryogenesis. Also during drought stress in w-1 adult leaves, ABA is not quantitatively related to the steady-state level of the HaDhn1a transcripts. Finally, data on nd-1 mutant show a high level of dehydrin transcripts after drought stress in plantlet cotyledons and leaflets. These results indicate the existence of two regulation pathways of HaDhn1a transcripts accumulation, an ABA-dependent and an ABA-independent one, which may have cumulative effects.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Baudo MM, Meza-Zepeda LA, Palva ET, Heino P: Induction of homologous low temperature and ABA-responsive genes in frost resistant (Solanum commersonii) and frost-sensitive (Solanum tuberosum cv. Bintje) potato species. Plant Mol Biol 30: 331–336(1996).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Bostock RM, Quatrano RS: Regulation of Em gene expression in rice. Interaction between osmotic stress and abscisic acid Plant Physiol 98: 1356–1363(1992).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Bray EA: Drought and ABA-induced changes in polypeptide and mRNA accumulation in tomato leaves. Plant Physiol 88: 1210–1214(1988).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bray EA: Molecular responses to water deficit. Plant Physiol 103: 1035–1040(1993).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Busk PK, Jensen AB, Pages M: Regulatory elements in vivo in the promoter of the abscisic acid responsive gene rab17 from maize. Plant J 11: 1285–1295(1997).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Butler WM, Cuming AC: Differential molecular responses to abscisic acid and osmotic stress in viviparous maize embryos. Planta 189: 47–54(1993).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Cattivelli L, Bartels D: Cold-induced mRNAs accumulate with different kinetics in barley coleoptiles. Planta 178: 184–188 (1989).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Cellier F, Conejero G, Breitler JC, Casse F: Molecular and physiological responses to water deficit in drought-tolerant and drought-sensitive lines of sunflower. Accumulation of dehydrin transcripts correlates with tolerance. Plant Physiol 116: 319–328(1998).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Chandler PM, Robertson M: Gene expression regulated by abscisic acid and its relation to stress tolerance. Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol 47: 113–141(1994).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Close TJ: Dehydrins: emergence of a biochemical role of a family of plant dehydration proteins. Physiol Plant 97: 795–803 (1996).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Close TJ: Dehydrins: a commonalty in the response of plants to dehydration and low temperature. Physiol Plant 100: 291–296 (1997).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Close TJ, Fenton RD, Moonan F: A view of plant dehydrins using antibodies specific to the carboxy terminal peptide. Plant Mol Biol 23: 279–286(1993).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Close TJ, Fenton RD, Yang A, Asghar R, DeMason DA, Crone DE, Meyer NC, Moonan F: Dehydrin: the protein. In: Close TJ, Bray EA (eds) Response of plants to Cellular Dehydration during Environmental Stress, pp. 104–118. American Society for Plant Physiology, Rockville, MD (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Cohen A, Bray EA: Characterization of three mRNAs that accumulate in wilted tomato leaves in response to elevated levels of endogenous abscisic acid. Planta 182: 27–33(1990).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Dure III L, Crouch M, Harada J, Ho T-HD, Mundy J, Quatrano R, Thomas T, Sung ZR: Common amino acid sequence domains among the LEA proteins of higher plants. Plant Mol Biol 12: 475–486(1989).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Dure III L: Structural motifs in LEA proteins in higher plants. In: Close TJ, Bray EA (eds) Response of Plants to Cellular Dehydration during Environmental Stress, pp. 91–103. American Society Plant Physiology, Rockville, MD (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  17. Espelund M, Saeboe-Larssen S, Hughes DW, Glenn AG, Larsen F, Jakobsen KS: Late embryogenesis-abundant genes encoding proteins with different numbers of hydrophilic repeats are regulated differentially by abscisic acid and osmotic stress. Plant J 2: 241–252(1992).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Fambrini M, Pugliesi C, Vernieri P, Giuliano G, Baroncelli S: Characterization of a sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) mutant, deficient in carotenoid synthesis and abscisic-acid content, induced by in-vitro tissue culture. Theor Appl Genet 87: 65–69(1993).

    Google Scholar 

  19. Fambrini M, Pugliesi C, Vernieri P, Pardossi A, Baroncelli S: Characterization of a wilty sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) mutant. II. Water relations, stomatal conductance, abscisic acid content in leaves and xylem sap of plants subjected to water deficiency. J Exp Bot 45: 1809–1815(1994).

    Google Scholar 

  20. Fambrini M, Vernieri P, Toncelli ML, Rossi VD, Pugliesi C: Characterization of a wilty sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) mutant. III. Phenotypic interaction in reciprocal grafts from wilty mutants and wild-type plants. J Exp Bot 46: 525–530 (1995).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Fambrini M, Vernieri P, Rocca M, Pugliesi C, Baroncelli S: ABA-deficient mutants in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). Helia 18: 1–24(1995).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Gilmour SJ, Thomashow MF: Cold acclimation and coldregulated gene expression in ABA mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Mol Biol 17: 1233–1240(1991).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Giraudat J, Parcy F, Bertauche N, Gosti F, Leung J, Morris P-C, Bouvier-Durand M, Vartanian N: Current advances in abscisic acid action and signalling. Plant Mol Biol 26: 1557–1577(1994).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Goday A, Jensen AB, Culianez-Macia FA, Alba MM, Figueras M, Serratosa J, Torrent M, Pagè s M: The maize abscisic acid-responsive protein Rab17 is located in the nucleus and interacts with nuclear localization signals. Plant Cell 6: 351–360 (1994).

    Google Scholar 

  25. Godoy JA, Pardo JM, Pintor-Toro JA: A tomato cDNA clone inducible by salt stress and abscisic acid: nucleotide sequence and expression pattern. Plant Mol Biol 15: 695–705(1990).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Godoy JA, Lunar R, Torres-Schumann S, Moreno J, Rodrigo RM, Pintor-Toro JA: Expression, tissue distribution and subcellular localization of dehydrin TAS14 in salt-stressed tomato plants. Plant Mol Biol 26: 1921–1934(1994).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Harris MJ, Outlaw Jr. WH: Rapid adjustement of guard-cell abscisic acid levels to current leaf water status. Plant Physiol 95: 171–173(1991).

    Google Scholar 

  28. Hartl FU, Hlodan R, Langer T: Molecular chaperones in protein folding: the art of avoiding sticky situations. Trends Biochem Sci 19: 20–25(1994).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Henson IE, Quarrie SA: Abscisic acid accumulation in detached cereal leaves in response to water stress. I. Effects of incubation time and severity of stress. Z Pflanzenphysiol 101: 431–438(1981).

    Google Scholar 

  30. Hsing Y-C, Rinnie RW, Hepburn AG, Zielinski RE: Expression of maturation-specific genes in soybean seeds. Crop Sci 30: 1343–1350(1990).

    Google Scholar 

  31. Hughes DW, Galau GA: Temporally modular gene expression during cotyledon development. Genes Dev 3: 358–369(1989).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Ingram J, Bartels D: The molecular basis of dehydration tolerance in plants. Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol 47: 377–403(1996).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Karssen CM, Groot SPC, Koornneef M: Hormone mutants and seed dormancy in Arabidopsis and tomato. In: Thomas H, Grierson D (eds) Developmental Mutants in Higher Plants, Ser. 32, pp. 119–133. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK (1987).

    Google Scholar 

  34. Koornneef M: Genetic aspects of abscisic acid. In: Blonstein AD, King PJ (eds) A genetic approach to plant biochemistry, pp. 35–54. Springer-Verlag, Vienna (1986).

    Google Scholar 

  35. Lang V, Palva ET: The expression of a Rab-related gene, rab18, is induced by abscisic acid during the cold acclimation process of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. Plant Mol Biol 20: 951–962(1992).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Logemann J, Schell J, Willmitzer L: Improved method for the isolation of RNA from plant tissues. Anal Bioch 163: 16–20 (1987).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Maggini F, Tucci G, Demartis A, Gelati MT, Avanzi S: Ribosomal RNA genes of Phaseolus coccineus. I. Plant Mol Biol 18: 1073–1082(1992).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Martin J, Geromanos S, Tempst P, Hartl FU: Identification of nucleotide-binding regions in the chaperonin proteins GroEL and GroES. Nature 366: 279–282(1993).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Neven LG, Haskell DW, Hofig A, Li Q-B, Guy CL: Characterization of a spinach gene responsive to low temperature and water stress. Plant Mol Biol 21: 291–305(1993).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Nordin K, Heino P, Palva ET: Separate signal pathways regulate the expression of a low-temperature-induced gene in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. Plant Mol Biol 16: 1061–1071 (1991).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Ouvrard O, Cellier F, Ferrare K, Tousch D, Lamaze T, Dupuis J-M, Casse-Delbart F: Identification and expression of water stress-and abscisic acid-regulated genes in a drought-tolerant sunflower genotype. Plant Mol Biol 31: 819–829(1996).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Paiva R, Kriz AL: Effect of abscisic acid on embryo-specific gene expression during normal and precocious germination in normal and viviparous maize (Zea mays) embryos. Planta 192: 332–339(1994).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Pla M, Goday A, Vilardell J, Gomez J, Pagè s M: Differential regulation of ABA-induced 23- 25 kDa proteins in embryo and vegetative tissues of the viviparous mutants of maize. Plant Mol Biol 13: 385–394(1989).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Pla M, Gomez J, Goday A, Pages M: Regulation of the abscisic acid-responsive gene rab28 in maize viviparous mutants. Mol Gen Genet 230: 394–400(1991).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Pla M, Vilardell J, Guiltinan MJ, Marcotte WR, Niogret M-F, Quatrano RS, Pagè s M: The cis-regulatory element CCACGTGG is involved in ABA and water-stress responses of the maize gene rab28. Plant Mol Biol 21: 259–266(1993).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Pugliesi C, Fambrini M, Vernieri P, Baroncelli S: Characterization of a wilty sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) mutant. I. Abscisic acid content, light-dark changes in the stomatal conductance and genetic analysis. J Exp Bot 45: 533–538 (1994).

    Google Scholar 

  47. Robertson M, Chandler PM: Pea dehydrins: identification, characterization and expression. Plant Mol Biol 19: 1031–1044 (1992).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Rouse DT, Marotta R, Parish RW: Promoter and expression studies on an Arabidopsis thaliana dehydrin gene. FEBS Lett 381: 252–256(1996).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Sambrook J, Fritsch EF, Maniatis T: Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 2nd ed. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY (1989).

    Google Scholar 

  50. Sanger F, Nicklen S, Coulson AR: DNA sequencing with chain-terminating inhibitors. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 74: 5463–5467(1977).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Schneider K, Wells B, Schmelzer E, Salamini F, Bartels D: Desiccation leads to the rapid accumulation of both cytosolic and chloroplastic proteins in the resurrection plant (Craterostigma plantagineum Hochst. Planta 189: 120–131 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  52. Shinozaki K, Yamaguchi-Shinozaki K: Molecular responses to drought and cold stress. Curr Opin Biotechnol 7: 161–167 (1996).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Skriver K, Mundy J: Gene expression in response to abscisic acid in osmotic stress. Plant Cell 2: 503–512(1990).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Vernieri P, Perata P, Armellini D, Bugnoli M, Presentini R, Lorenzi R, Ceccarelli N, Alpi A, Tognoni F: Solid-phase radioimmunoassay for the quantitation of abscisic acid in plant crude extracts using a new monoclonal antibody. J Plant Physiol 134: 441–446(1989).

    Google Scholar 

  55. Vilardell J, Godoy A, Freire MA, Torrent M, Martinez MC, Torne JM, Pagè s M: Gene sequence, developmental expression and protein phosphorylation of RAB-17 in maize. Plant Mol Biol 14: 423–432(1990).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Welin BV, Olson A, Nylander M, Palva ET: Characterization and differential expression of dhn/lea/rab-like genes during cold acclimation and drought stress in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Mol Biol 26: 131–144(1994).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Whitsitt MS, Collins RG, Mullet JE: Modulation of dehydration tolerance in soybean seedlings. Dehydrin Mat1 is induced by dehydration but not by abscisic acid. Plant Physiol 114: 917–925(1997).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Yamaguchi-Shinozaki K, Shinozaki K: Characterization of the expression of a desiccation-responsive rd29 gene of Arabidopsis thaliana and analysis of its promoter in transgenic plants. Mol Gen Genet 236: 331–340(1993).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Yamaguchi-Shinozaki K, Shinozaki K: A novel cis-acting element in an Arabidopsis gene is involved in responsiveness to drought, low temperature, or high-salt stress. Plant Cell 6: 251–264(1994).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. Zeevaart JAD, Creelman RA: Metabolism and physiology of abscisic acid. Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol 39: 439–473 (1988).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Scuola Superiore di Studi Universitari e di Perfezionamento 'S. Anna', Via Carducci, Pisa, Italy

    T. Giordani, P. Vernieri & A. Cavallini

  2. Dipartimento di Biologia delle Piante Agrarie, Sezione di Genetica, Università di Pisa, Via Matteotti, 56124 , Pisa, Italy

    L. Natali, A. D'Ercole, C. Pugliesi, M. Fambrini & C. Vitagliano

Authors
  1. T. Giordani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. L. Natali
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. D'Ercole
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. C. Pugliesi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. M. Fambrini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. P. Vernieri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. C. Vitagliano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. A. Cavallini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Giordani, T., Natali, L., D'Ercole, A. et al. Expression of a dehydrin gene during embryo development and drought stress in ABA-deficient mutants of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). Plant Mol Biol 39, 739–748 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006194720022

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006194720022

Search

Navigation