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Transgenic cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) seedlings expressing a tobacco glutathione S-transferase fail to provide improved stress tolerance

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Abstract

Transgenic cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) lines expressing the tobacco glutathione S-transferase (GST) Nt107 were evaluated for tolerance to chilling, salinity, and herbicides, antioxidant enzyme activity, antioxidant compound levels, and lipid peroxidation. Although transgenic seedlings exhibited ten-fold and five-fold higher GST activity under normal and salt-stress conditions, respectively, germinating seedlings did not show improved tolerance to salinity, chilling conditions, or herbicides. Glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity in transgenic seedlings was 30% to 60% higher under normal conditions, but was not different than GPX activity in wild-type seedlings under salt-stress conditions. Glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, and monodehydroascorbate reductase activities were not increased in transgenic seedlings under salt-stress conditions, while dehydroascorbate reductase activity was decreased in transgenic seedlings under salt-stress conditions. Transgenic seedlings had 50% more oxidized glutathione when exposed to salt stress. Ascorbate levels were not increased in transgenic seedlings under salt-stress conditions. Malondialdehyde content in transgenic seedlings was nearly double that of wild-type seedlings under normal conditions and did not increase under salt-stress conditions. These results show that expression of Nt107 in cotton does not provide adequate protection against oxidative stress and suggests that the endogenous antioxidant system in cotton may be disrupted by the expression of the tobacco GST.

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Abbreviations

APX:

Ascorbate peroxidase

DHAR:

Dehydroascorbate reductase

GSH:

Reduced glutathione

GSSG:

Oxidized glutathione

GPX:

Glutathione peroxidase

GR:

Glutathione reductase

GST:

Glutathione S-transferase

MDA:

Malondialdehyde

MDHAR:

Monodehydroascorbate reductase

ROIs:

Reactive oxygen intermediates

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a grant from the Southwest Consortium for Plant Genetics and Water Resources and the Texas Advanced Technology Program.

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  1. Ginger G. Light

    Present address: , RR 1, Box 109, Petersburg, TX, 79250-9214, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Box 43131, Lubbock, TX, 79409-3131, USA

    Ginger G. Light, Virginia P. Roxas & Randy D. Allen

  2. Plant Stress and Water Conservation Laboratory, USDA-ARS, 3810 Fourth Street, Lubbock, TX, 79415-3397, USA

    James R. Mahan

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  1. Ginger G. Light
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Correspondence to Ginger G. Light.

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Light, G.G., Mahan, J.R., Roxas, V.P. et al. Transgenic cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) seedlings expressing a tobacco glutathione S-transferase fail to provide improved stress tolerance. Planta 222, 346–354 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-005-1531-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-005-1531-7

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