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Overexpression of Loquat Dehydrin Gene EjDHN1 Promotes Cold Tolerance in Transgenic Tobacco

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Abstract

Dehydrins (DHNs) play vital roles in response to dehydration stress in plants. To examine the contribution of EjDHN to low-temperature stress in loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.), EjDHN1 was overexpressed in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.). The plant growth of transgenic lines was significantly better than wild type (WT) after 4 d of recovery from cold stress. Cold stress led to membrane lipid peroxidation and reduced photosystem II (PSII) activity in leaves, and these were less severe in transgenic lines. To examine oxidative stress tolerance, the plants were treated with different concentrations of methyl viologen (MV), which inhibited plant growth both in WT and transgenic lines. After exposure to 2.0 μM MV for 10 d, the WT plants had a dramatically lower survival rate. MV treatment in leaf disks confirmed that transgenic lines accumulated less reactive oxygen species (ROS) and suffered less lipid peroxidation. The results suggested that the tolerance of the transgenic plants to cold was increased, and EjDHN1 could protect cells against oxidative damage caused by ROS production under cold stress. It also provided evidences that the enhanced cold tolerance resulted from EjDHN1 overexpression could be partly due to their protective effect on membranes by alleviating oxidative stresses.

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Abbreviations

APX:

ascorbate peroxidase

CAT:

catalase

Chl:

chlorophyll

DHN:

dehydrin

H2O2 :

hydrogen peroxide

Hyg:

hygromycin

MDA:

malondialdehyde

MV:

methyl viologen

O −2 :

superoxide

PSII:

photosystem II

ROS:

reactive oxygen species

SOD:

superoxide dismutase

WT:

wild type

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Horticulture, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, PR China

    H. X. Xu, X. Y. Li & J. W. Chen

  2. Laboratory of Fruit Quality Biology/The State Agriculture Ministry Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development and Quality Improvement, Zhejiang University, Zijingang Campus, Hangzhou, PR China

    H. X. Xu & C. J. Xu

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  1. H. X. Xu
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  2. X. Y. Li
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  4. J. W. Chen
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Correspondence to J. W. Chen.

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Xu, H.X., Li, X.Y., Xu, C.J. et al. Overexpression of Loquat Dehydrin Gene EjDHN1 Promotes Cold Tolerance in Transgenic Tobacco. Russ J Plant Physiol 65, 69–77 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1134/S102144371801020X

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S102144371801020X

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