title: Over-expression of JcDREB, a putative AP2/EREBP domain-containing transcription factor gene in woody biodiesel plant Jatropha curcas, enhances salt and freezing tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana.
abstract: Jatropha curcas L. is an all-purpose biodiesel plant and is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical climates. It can grow well on poor quality soil which is not qualified for crop cultivation. This is very important for relieving land, food and energy crises. However, tropical and subtropical distribution limits the production of J. curcas seed. So it is valuable to know the molecular mechanism of J. curcas response to adverse abiotic environmental factors, especially freezing stress, in order to change the plant's characteristics. Until now there are just a few reports about J. curcas molecular biology. In this paper, we cloned and characterized a DNA binding protein from this plant, designated as JcDREB. Sequence analysis and yeast one-hybrid assays show that JcDREB can effectively function as a transcription factor of DREB protein family belonging to A-6 subgroup member. Expression patterns of JcDREB showed that it was induced by cold, salt and drought stresses, not by ABA. Over-expression of JcDREB in transgenic Arabidopsis exhibited enhanced salt and freezing stresses. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of J. curcas responses to environmental stresses, for example, high salinity, drought and low temperature, is crucial for improving their stress tolerance and productivity. This work provides more information about A-6 subgroup members of DREB subfamily.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Resource Plant Sciences, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Mingjuan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Xiaofei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Huaping
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Shihua
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shen
mesh_terms: D000064:Acclimatization / Q000235:genetics*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis; D001483:Base Sequence; D056804:Biofuels; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D005615:Freezing; D017343:Genes, Plant; D031286:Jatropha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D054712:Salinity; D055049:Salt Tolerance; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D020798:Two-Hybrid System Techniques
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D010940:Plant Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors