title: Ectopic expression of cytosolic superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase leads to salt stress tolerance in transgenic plums.
abstract: To fortify the antioxidant capacity of plum plants, genes encoding cytosolic antioxidants ascorbate peroxidase (cytapx) and Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (cytsod) were genetically engineered in these plants. Transgenic plum plants expressing the cytsod and/or cytapx genes in cytosol have been generated under the control of the CaMV35S promoter. High levels of cytsod and cytapx gene transcripts suggested that the transgenes were constitutively and functionally expressed. We examined the potential functions of cytSOD and cytAPX in in vitro plum plants against salt stress (100 mm NaCl). Several transgenic plantlets expressing cytsod and/or cytapx showed an enhanced tolerance to salt stress, mainly lines C5-5 and J8-1 (expressing several copies of sod and apx, respectively). Transformation as well as NaCl treatments influenced the antioxidative metabolism of plum plantlets, including enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants. Transgenic plantlets exhibited higher contents of nonenzymatic antioxidants glutathione and ascorbate than nontransformed control, which correlated with lower accumulation of hydrogen peroxide. Overall, our results suggest that transformation of plum plants with genes encoding antioxidant enzymes enhances the tolerance to salinity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Breeding, Group of Fruit Tree Biotechnology, CEBAS-CSIC, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Diaz-Vivancos
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Faize
authors.forename: Gregorio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barba-Espin
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Faize
authors.forename: Cesar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Petri
authors.forename: José Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Burgos
mesh_terms: D060387:Ascorbate Peroxidases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D018532:Pisum sativum / Q000235:genetics; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000378:metabolism; D027861:Prunus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D018749:RNA, Plant / Q000378:metabolism; D055051:Salt-Tolerant Plants / Q000235:genetics*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000378:metabolism; D018724:Spinacia oleracea / Q000235:genetics; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018749:RNA, Plant; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D060387:Ascorbate Peroxidases; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase
keywords: Prunus domestica; antioxidative metabolism; cytosolic ascorbate peroxidase; cytosolic superoxide dismutase; genetic engineering; salt stress