title: The multiple stress-responsive transcription factor SlNAC1 improves the chilling tolerance of tomato.
abstract: NAC (NAM-ATAF1, 2-CUC2) family members play important roles in various environmental responses. Here, we cloned a full-length NAC gene (954 bp) from Solanum lycopersicum (SlNAC1). This gene belonged to ATAF subfamily which included ATAF1 and ATAF2 of Arabidopsis thaliana. SlNAC1 expression was induced by chilling stress (4°C), heat stress (40°C), high salinity, osmotic stress and mechanical wounding. SlNAC1 transcripts were enhanced after application of abscisic acid, methyl jasmonate, salicylic acid, gibberellin, ethylene, methyl viologen and hydrogen peroxide. The seedlings of transgenic plants overexpressing SlNAC1 grew more leaves but were shorter than wild-type (WT) plants. SlNAC1 overexpression increased the chilling tolerance of tomato plants by maintaining the higher maximal photochemical efficiency of photosystem II and oxygen-evolving activities. Compared with WT plants, transgenic plants showed higher superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1) and catalase (EC 1.11.1.6) activities, which reduced levels of H2 O2 and superoxide anion radicals and promoted lower ion leakage and malondialdehyde content. The expression level of SlCBF1 in transgenic plants was also higher than that in WT plants under both normal conditions and chilling stress; this increased expression may be the main factor influencing the high chilling tolerance of transgenic plants. The results suggest that SlNAC1 plays important roles in diversiform plant-stress responses and diverse signaling pathways.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, 271018, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Na-Na
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, 271018, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yan-Qiu
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Zuo
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, 271018, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Qing
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, 271018, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, 271018, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Guo-Dong
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, 271018, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Qing-Wei
authors.initials: QW
authors.lastname: Meng
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000494:pharmacology; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D036226:Seedlings / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; D010940:Plant Proteins; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D014157:Transcription Factors; D010100:Oxygen