title: RNA interference-based suppression of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase results in susceptibility of rapeseed to osmotic stress.
abstract: The diverse functions of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPCase; EC 4.1.1.31) in C(3) plants are not as well understood as in C(4) plants. To investigate the functions of PEPCase in C(3) plants, rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) PEPCase gene (referred to as BNPE15) was silenced by the RNA interference (RNAi) technique. Under normal growth conditions, no significant difference in lipid content and fatty acid composition were found between wild-type (WT) and transgenic rapeseed plants. However, when these plants were subjected to osmotic stress induced by osmoticum polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000), membrane permeability and membrane lipid peroxidization in roots and leaves of transgenic plants were higher than those of WT plants. It suggested that transgenic plants are more susceptible to osmotic stress than WT plants. Taken together, the results showed that the suppression of PEPCase by RNAi leads to susceptibility to osmotic stress in rapeseed, and PEPCase is involved in the response of C(3) plants to environmental stress.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yunlai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Jingmei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Mingfeng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yinong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D029741:Brassica rapa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D009997:Osmotic Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D010730:Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000494:pharmacology; D034622:RNA Interference / Q000502:physiology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D010730:Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase