title: Constitutive expression of CaSRP1, a hot pepper small rubber particle protein homolog, resulted in fast growth and improved drought tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis plants.
abstract: Transient and long-term shortages of fresh water are major adverse environmental factors that cause dramatic reductions in crop production and distribution globally. In this study, we isolated a full-length CaSRP1 (Capsicum annuum stress-related protein 1) cDNA, which was rapidly induced by dehydration in hot pepper plants. The predicted CaSRP1 protein sequence exhibited significant amino acid identity to putative stress-related proteins and the small rubber particle protein (SRPP) found in rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis). To study the cellular functions of CaSRP1, transgenic Arabidopsis plants (35S:CaSRP1) that constitutively expressed the CaSRP1 gene were constructed. Overexpression of CaSRP1 resulted in enhanced root and shoot growth and earlier bolting in the transgenic plants relative to wild-type plants. In addition, 35S:CaSRP1 overexpressors exhibited enhanced tolerance to drought stress as compared to the control plants. These results suggest that CaSRP1 plays dual functions as a positive factor for tissue growth and development and for drought-defensive responses. A possible cellular function of SRPP homologs in non-rubber-producing plants in relation to drought stress tolerance is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Yu
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young Sam
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Woo Taek
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002212:Capsicum / Q000235:genetics*; D017931:DNA Primers; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D055864:Droughts; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D010940:Plant Proteins