Overexpression of a TFIIIA-type zinc finger protein gene ZFP252 enhances drought and salt tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa L.).
We previously identified a salt and drought stress-responsive TFIIIA-type zinc finger protein gene ZFP252 from rice. Here we report the functional analysis of ZFP252 using gain- and loss-of-function strategies. We found that overexpression of ZFP252 in rice increased the amount of free proline and soluble sugars, elevated the expression of stress defense genes and enhanced rice tolerance to salt and drought stresses, as compared with ZFP252 antisense and non-transgenic plants. Our findings suggest that ZFP252 plays an important role in rice response to salt and drought stresses and is useful in engineering crop plants with enhanced tolerance to salt and drought stresses.
Xu
Dong-Qing
DQ
State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, PR China.
Huang
Ji
J
Guo
Shu-Qiao
SQ
Yang
Xia
X
Bao
Yong-Mei
YM
Tang
Hai-Juan
HJ
Zhang
Hong-Sheng
HS
D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D003681:Dehydration; D015870:Gene Expression; D017343:Genes, Plant; D012275:Oryza / Q000235:genetics*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011392:Proline / Q000378:metabolism; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D035582:Transcription Factor TFIIIA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D010940:Plant Proteins; D035582:Transcription Factor TFIIIA; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D011392:Proline