Heterology expression of the Arabidopsis C-repeat/dehydration response element binding factor 1 gene confers elevated tolerance to chilling and oxidative stresses in transgenic tomato.
In an attempt to improve stress tolerance of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) plants, an expression vector containing an Arabidopsis C-repeat/dehydration responsive element binding factor 1 (CBF1) cDNA driven by a cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter was transferred into tomato plants. Transgenic expression of CBF1 was proved by northern- and western-blot analyses. The degree of chilling tolerance of transgenic T(1) and T(2) plants was found to be significantly greater than that of wild-type tomato plants as measured by survival rate, chlorophyll fluorescence value, and radical elongation. The transgenic tomato plants exhibited patterns of growth retardation; however, they resumed normal growth after GA(3) (gibberellic acid) treatment. More importantly, GA(3)-treated transgenic plants still exhibited a greater degree of chilling tolerance compared with wild-type plants. Subtractive hybridization was performed to isolate the responsive genes of heterologous Arabidopsis CBF1 in transgenic tomato plants. CATALASE1 (CAT1) was obtained and showed activation in transgenic tomato plants. The CAT1 gene and catalase activity were also highly induced in the transgenic tomato plants. The level of H(2)O(2) in the transgenic plants was lower than that in the wild-type plants under either normal or cold conditions. The transgenic plants also exhibited considerable tolerance against oxidative damage induced by methyl viologen. Results from the current study suggest that heterologous CBF1 expression in transgenic tomato plants may induce several oxidative-stress responsive genes to protect from chilling stress.
National Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, 115, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Tsai-Hung
TH
Hsieh
Jent-Turn
JT
Lee
Pei-Tzu
PT
Yang
Li-Hui
LH
Chiu
Yee-yung
YY
Charng
Yu-Chie
YC
Wang
Ming-Tsair
MT
Chan
D000064:Acclimatization / Q000235:genetics*; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002374:Catalase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003080:Cold Temperature; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005615:Freezing; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects; D005875:Gibberellins / Q000494:pharmacology; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics*
D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; C104387:CBF1 protein, Arabidopsis; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005875:Gibberellins; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D015534:Trans-Activators; C007842:gibberellic acid; D002374:Catalase; D010100:Oxygen