Overexpression of a zinc-finger protein gene from rice confers tolerance to cold, dehydration, and salt stress in transgenic tobacco.
Stress perception and signal transduction leading to tolerance involve a complex interplay of different gene products. We describe here the isolation and characterization of an intronless gene (OSISAP1) from rice encoding a zinc-finger protein that is induced after different types of stresses, namely cold, desiccation, salt, submergence, and heavy metals as well as injury. The gene is also induced by stress hormone abscisic acid. Overexpression of the gene in transgenic tobacco conferred tolerance to cold, dehydration, and salt stress at the seed-germination/seedling stage as reflected by the percentage of germination/green seedlings, the fresh weight of seedlings, and their developmental pattern. Thus, OSISAP1 seems to be an important determinant of stress response in plants.
Mukhopadhyay
Arnab
A
Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi South Campus, Benito Juarez Road, New Delhi 110 021, India.
Vij
Shubha
S
Tyagi
Akhilesh K
AK
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000235:genetics*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012275:Oryza / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014867:Water; D016335:Zinc Fingers
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D010940:Plant Proteins; D014867:Water; D012965:Sodium Chloride