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Improving low-temperature tolerance in sugarcane by expressing the ipt gene under a cold inducible promoter

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Biologia Plantarum

Abstract

Sugarcane is cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions where cold stress is not very common, but lower yields and reduced industrial quality of the plants are observed when it occurs. In our efforts to enhance cold tolerance in sugarcane, the gene encoding the enzyme isopentenyltransferase (ipt) under control of the cold inducible gene promoter AtCOR15a was transferred via biolistic transformation into sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) cv. RB855536. Semiquantitative RT-PCR using GAPDH encoding glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase as the normalizer gene showed the increased expression of the ipt gene under cold stress. The detached leaves of genetically modified plants subjected to low temperatures showed visible reduction of leaf senescence in comparison to non-transgenic control plants. Induced overexpression of ipt gene also enhanced cold tolerance of non-acclimated whole plants. After being subjected to freezing temperature, leaf total chlorophyll contents of transgenic plants were up to 31 % higher than in wild type plants. Also, lower malondialdehyde content and electrolyte leakage indicated less damage induced by cold in transgenic plants. Thus, the expression of ipt driven by the stress inducible COR15a promoter did not affect plant growth while providing a greater tolerance to cold stress.

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Abbreviations

CBF:

C-binding factor

CK:

cytokinin

CRT/DRE:

C-repeat/dehydration responsive element

GAPDH:

glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase

MDA:

malondialdehyde

RT-PCR:

reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Dr. Jamil C. Marur for technical help with the cold stress experiments. Special thanks to Sandra Cação, Gislaine Vasquez and Tiago Santos for their technical assistance. N.G.B. is thankful to CAPES for the scholarship funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Plant Biotechnology Laboratory, IAPAR, Londrina, 86001-970 PR, Brazil

    N. G. Belintani, J. T. S. Guerzoni & L. G. E. Vieira

  2. General Biology Department, State University of Londrina, Londrina, 86051-990 PR, Brazil

    R. M. P. Moreira

Authors
  1. N. G. Belintani
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  2. J. T. S. Guerzoni
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  3. R. M. P. Moreira
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  4. L. G. E. Vieira
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Correspondence to L. G. E. Vieira.

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Belintani, N.G., Guerzoni, J.T.S., Moreira, R.M.P. et al. Improving low-temperature tolerance in sugarcane by expressing the ipt gene under a cold inducible promoter. Biol Plant 56, 71–77 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-012-0018-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-012-0018-1

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