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Heterologous expression of P5CS gene in chickpea enhances salt tolerance without affecting yield

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Biologia Plantarum

Abstract

Vigna Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (P5CS) cDNA was transferred to chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) cultivar Annigeri via Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation. Following selection on hygromycin and regeneration, 60 hygromycin-resistant plants were recovered. Southern blot analysis of five fertile independent lines of T0 and T1 generation revealed single and multiple insertions of the transgene. RT-PCR and Western blot analysis of T0 and T1 progeny demonstrated that the P5CS gene is expressed and produced functional protein in chickpea. T1 transgenic lines accumulated higher amount of proline under 250 mM NaCl compared to untransformed controls. Higher accumulation of Na+ was noticed in the older leaves but negligible accumulation in seeds of T1 transgenic lines as compared to the controls. Chlorophyll stability and electrolyte leakage indicated that proline overproduction helps in alleviating salt stress in transgenic chickpea plants. The T1 transgenics lines were grown to maturity and set normal viable seeds under continuous salinity stress (250 mM) without any reduction in plant yield in terms of seed mass.

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Abbreviations

Chl:

chlorophyll

EC:

electrical conductivity

PCR:

polymerase chain reaction

PMSF:

phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride

Pro:

proline

RT-PCR:

reverse transcription PCR

SDS:

sodium dodecylsulphate

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Author notes

  1. S. Kiran Kumar Ghanti

    Present address: Department of Plant Physiology, University of Agricultural Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560065, India

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, Gulbarga University, Gulbarga, Karnataka, 585106, India

    S. Kiran Kumar Ghanti & M. Srinath Rao

  2. Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agricultural Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560065, India

    K. G. Sujata & N. Nataraja Karba

  3. Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560012, India

    B. M. Vijay Kumar

  4. Department of Botany, Osmania University, Hyderabad, 500007, India

    K. janardhan Reddy

  5. Department of Genetics, Osmania University, Hyderabad, 500007, India

    P. B. Kavi Kishor

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  1. S. Kiran Kumar Ghanti
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Correspondence to S. Kiran Kumar Ghanti.

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Kiran Kumar Ghanti, S., Sujata, K.G., Vijay Kumar, B.M. et al. Heterologous expression of P5CS gene in chickpea enhances salt tolerance without affecting yield. Biol Plant 55, 634 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-011-0161-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-011-0161-0

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