Functional Characterization on Wheat Protein Kinase Gene TaSnRK2.1 in Mediating Plant Resistance to Drought Stress
College of Agronomy, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071001, China
| Abstract: | The protein kinase type of sucrose non-fermenting-1 related protein kinase 2 (SnRK2) plays an important role in regulating plant growth and development and in mediating plant resistance to abiotic stresses given that it involves transduction of distinct internal and abiotic stress signaling. In this study, TaSnRK2.1, a gene of SnRK2 family in wheat, was investigated focusing on its molecular characterization, expression pattern upon drought stress, and the biological function in mediating plant drought tolerance. At nucleic acid level, TaSnRK2.1 is highly homologous to its counterparts of SnRK2 kinase family genes in species of Polish wheat and barley, whose translated protein harbors a conserved catalytic domain of Ser/Thr kinase domain (aa 62-aa 318). Under a 48 h-regime drought treatment, the transcripts of TaSnRK2.1 showed obvious response in roots and leaves, with the highest expression level reached at 24 h after treatment and maintaining a high level to 48 h under drought condition. Meanwhile, the transcripts of TaSnRK2.1 in both roots and leaves induced by drought were recovered following the normal recovery treatment. Gene transgene analysis indicated that compared with wild type control (WT), the tobacco line with sense-overexpression of TaSnRK2.1 (Sen 1) enlarged plant growth phenotypes, increased dry weights, promoted stomata closing, increased contents of cellular osmtic-regulatory substances including proline, soluble protein, and soluble sugar, enhanced photosynthetic capacity and elevated cellular protective enzyme activities under drought treatment. In contrast, the line with antisense-expression of TaSnRK2.1 (Anti 1) reduced plant growth phenotypes, decreased biomass, slowed stomata closing, decreased the contents of cellular osmtic-regulatory substances, photosynthetic capacity and protective enzyme activities compared with WT plants treated by drought stress. Our investigation suggested that TaSnRK2.1 is sensitive in response to drought signaling at transcriptional level that confers enhanced plant drought resistance by regulating physiological processes associated with stomata movement, cellular osmotic-regulatory substance metabolism, photosynthetsis, and protective enzyme activities. |
| Keywords: | Wheat; SnRK2.1; Gene Expression; Drought Stress; Gene Function |
| DOI: | 10.57237/j.life.2023.02.002 |
View:
Downloads:
Received: 9 December 2022
Accepted: 30 January 2023
Published Online: 25 May 2023
References
| [1] | Zhu J K. Plant salt tolerance [J]. Trends in Plant Science, 2001, 6 (2): 66-71. |
| [2] | Xiong L, Schumaker K S, Zhu J K. Cell signaling during cold, drought, and salt stress [J]. The Plant Cell, 2002, 14 (suppl-1): S165-S183. |
| [3] | Zhu J K. Salt and drought stress signal transduction in plants[J]. Annual Review of Plant Biology, 2002, 53: 247. |
| [4] | Xiong L, Zhu J K. Molecular and genetic aspects of plant responses to osmotic stress [J]. Plant, Cell & Environment, 2002, 25 (2): 131-139. |
| [5] | Cheeseman J M. Mechanisms of salinity tolerance in plants[J]. Plant Physiology, 1988, 87 (3): 547-550. |
| [6] | Bohnert H J, Nelson D E, Jensen R G. Adaptations to environmental stresses [J]. The Plant Cell, 1995, 7 (7): 1099. |
| [7] | Halford N G, Hey S J. Snf1-related protein kinases (SnRKs) act within an intricate network that links metabolic and stress signalling in plants [J]. Biochemical Journal, 2009, 419 (2): 247-259. |
| [8] | Hrabak E M, Chan C W M, Gribskov M, et al. The Arabidopsis CDPK-SnRK superfamily of protein kinases [J]. Plant Physiology, 2003, 132 (2): 666-680. |
| [9] | Kobayashi Y, Yamamoto S, Minami H, et al. Differential activation of the rice sucrose nonfermenting1–related protein kinase2 family by hyperosmotic stress and abscisic acid[J]. The Plant Cell, 2004, 16 (5): 1163-1177. |
| [10] | Yoshida R, Umezawa T, Mizoguchi T, et al. The regulatory domain of SRK2E/OST1/SnRK2.6 interacts with ABI1 and integrates abscisic acid (ABA) and osmotic stress signals controlling stomatal closure in Arabidopsis [J]. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2006, 281 (8): 5310-5318. |
| [11] | Zhang Z, Ali S, Zhang T, et al. Identification, evolutionary and expression analysis of PYL-PP2C-SnRK2s gene families in soybean [J]. Plants, 2020, 9 (10): 1356. |
| [12] | Sheard L B, Zheng N. Signal advance for abscisic acid[J]. Nature, 2009, 462 (7273): 575-576. |
| [13] | 刘子茜, 朱雅欣, 伍国强, 等. SnRK2 在植物响应逆境胁迫和生长发育中的作用[J]. 生物工程学报, 2022, 38 (1): 89-103. |
| [14] | Gómez-Cadenas A, Verhey S D, Holappa L D, et al. An abscisic acid-induced protein kinase, PKABA1, mediates abscisic acid-suppressed gene expression in barley aleurone layers [J]. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, 1999, 96 (4): 1767-1772. |
| [15] | Umezawa T, Yoshida R, Maruyama K, et al. SRK2C, a SNF1-related protein kinase 2, improves drought tolerance by controlling stress-responsive gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana [J]. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2004, 101 (49): 17306-17311. |
| [16] | Diédhiou C J, Popova O V, Dietz K J, et al. The SNF1-type serine-threonine protein kinase SAPK4 regulates stress-responsive gene expression in rice [J]. BMC Plant Biology, 2008, 8 (1): 1-13. |
| [17] | Mikołajczyk M, Awotunde O S, Muszyńska G, et al. Osmotic stress induces rapid activation of a salicylic acid–induced protein kinase and a homolog of protein kinase ASK1 in tobacco cells [J]. The Plant Cell, 2000, 12 (1): 165-178. |
| [18] | Mao X, Zhang H, Tian S, et al. TaSnRK2. 4, an SNF1-type serine/threonine protein kinase of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), confers enhanced multistress tolerance in Arabidopsis [J]. Journal of Experimental Botany, 2010, 61 (3): 683-696. |
| [19] | Tian S, Mao X, Zhang H, et al. Cloning and characterization of TaSnRK2 3, a novel SnRK2 gene in common wheat [J]. Journal of Experimental Botany, 2013, 64 (7): 2063-2080. |
| [20] | Zhang H, Mao X, Jing R, et al. Characterization of a common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) TaSnRK2.7 gene involved in abiotic stress responses [J]. Journal of Experimental Botany, 2011, 62 (3): 975-988. |
| [21] | Zhang H, Mao X, Wang C, et al. Overexpression of a common wheat gene TaSnRK2.8 enhances tolerance to drought, salt and low temperature in Arabidopsis [J]. PloS One, 2010, 5 (12): e16041. |
| [22] | Guo C, Zhao X, Liu X, ZhangL, Gu J, Li X, Lu W, Xiao K. Function of wheat phosphate transporter gene TaPHT2;1 in Pi translocation and plant growth regulation under replete and limited Pi supply conditions [J]. Planta, 2013, 237, 1163-1178. |
| [23] | Sun Z H, Ding C H, Li X J, et al. Molecular characterization and expression analysis of TaZFP15, a C2H2-type zinc finger transcription factor gene in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) [J]. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2012, 11 (1): 31-42. |
| [24] | Du X, Zhao X, Liu X, Guo C, Lu W, Gu J, Xiao K. Overexpression of TaSRK2C1, wheat SNF1-related protein kinase gene, increases tolerance to dehydration, salt, and low temperature in transgenic tobacco [J]. Plant Molecular Biology Reporter, 2013, 31, 810-821. |
| [25] | Huang XS, Liu J H, Chen X J. Overexpression of PtrABF gene, a bZIP tran-scription factor isolated from Poncirus trifoliata, enhances dehydration and drought tolerance in tobacco via scavenging ROS and modulating expression of stress-responsive genes [J]. BMC Plant Biology, 2010, 10, 230. |
| [26] | Li, W. X., Oono, Y. K., Zhu, J. H., He, X. J., Wu, J. M., Iida, K., Lu, X. Y., Cui, X. P., Jin, H. L., Zhu, J. K., 2008. The Arabidopsis NFYA5 transcription factor is regulated transcriptionally and post transcriptionally to promote drought resistance. The Plant Cell, 20 (8), 2238-2251. |
| [27] | Yingjia Zhao, Yanyang Zhang, Tianjiao Li, Chenyang Ni, Xinyang Bai, Ruize Lin, Kai Xiao. TaNF-YA7-5B, a gene encoding nuclear factor Y (NF–Y) subunit A in Triticum aestivum, confers plant tolerance to PEG-inducing dehydration simulating drought through modulating osmotic stress-associated physiological processes. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 2022, 188: 81-96. |
| [28] | 张丹, 马玉花. NAC 转录因子在植物响应非生物胁迫中的作用 [J]. 生物技术通报, 2019, 35 (12): 144-151. |
| [29] | Shinozaki K, Yamaguchishinozaki K. Gene networks involved in drought stress response and tolerance[J]. Journal of Experimental Botany, 2007, 58 (2): 221. |
| [30] | 王金玲, 董心久, 田成军, 等. 水分胁迫对小黑麦生理生化特性和可溶性蛋白质的影响 [J]. 麦类作物学报, 2006, 26 (5): 138. |
| [31] | 靳容, 张爱君, 史新敏, 等. 干旱胁迫下钾对甘薯幼苗光合特性及根系活力的影响 [J]. 江苏农业学报, 2014, 30 (5): 5. |
| [32] | Jiao P, Wu Z, Wang X, et al. Short-term transcriptomic responses of Populus euphratica roots and leaves to drought stress [J]. Journal of Forestry Research, 2021, 32 (2): 841-853. |
| [33] | Chaves, M. M., Pereira, J. S., et al. How plants cope with water stress in the field. Photosynthesis and growth [J]. Annual Botany, 2002, 89: 907-916 |
| [34] | Cakmak I. The role of potassium in alleviating detrimental effects of abiotic stresses in plants [J]. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 2005, 168 (4): 521-530. |
Join the Editorial Board
We invite active, qualified and high profile scientists and researchers to join as Editorial Board Members.
Join UsBecome a Reviewer
Scholars with a strong interest in reviewing are invited to join the reviewer panel to ensure the quality of the research to be published.
Join Us