Stress-responsive zinc finger gene ZPT2-3 plays a role in drought tolerance in petunia.
The petunia gene, ZPT2-3, encodes a Cys2/His2-type zinc finger protein. Here, we describe the expression of ZPT2-3 in response to various stresses and the effects of ZPT2-3 overexpression in transgenic petunia. Mechanical wounding induced accumulation of ZPT2-3 transcript, and the activity of ZPT2-3::luciferase was conferred by the 1668-bp ZPT2-3 upstream sequence, both locally and systemically. This induction was mediated by a jasmonic acid (JA)-dependent and ethylene-independent pathway. ZPT2-3 expression was also induced by cold, drought, and heavy metal treatments. The same ZPT2-3 promoter sequence showed similar responsiveness to wounding, cold, drought, and JA treatments in Arabidopsis when investigated in a beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene, indicating conservation of similar signaling pathways between the two plant species. ZPT2-3 functioned as an active repressor in a transient assay using Arabidopsis leaves. Constitutive overexpression of ZPT2-3 in transgenic petunia plants increased tolerance to dehydration. These results demonstrate the involvement of ZPT2-3 in plant response to various stresses, and suggest its potential utility to improve drought tolerance.
Sugano
Shoji
S
Developmental Biology Laboratory, Plant Physiology Department, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8602, Japan.
Kaminaka
Hironori
H
Rybka
Zbigniew
Z
Catala
Rafael
R
Salinas
Julio
J
Matsui
Kyoko
K
Ohme-Takagi
Masaru
M
Takatsuji
Hiroshi
H
D000064:Acclimatization / Q000235:genetics*; D000085:Acetates / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003517:Cyclopentanes / Q000494:pharmacology; D017931:DNA Primers; D004190:Disasters; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D008156:Luciferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D054883:Oxylipins; D032306:Petunia / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000494:pharmacology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000235:genetics*
D000085:Acetates; D003517:Cyclopentanes; D017931:DNA Primers; D054883:Oxylipins; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; D010940:Plant Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C072239:methyl jasmonate; D008156:Luciferases