Overexpression of rice NAC gene SNAC1 improves drought and salt tolerance by enhancing root development and reducing transpiration rate in transgenic cotton.
The SNAC1 gene belongs to the stress-related NAC superfamily of transcription factors. It was identified from rice and overexpressed in cotton cultivar YZ1 by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. SNAC1-overexpressing cotton plants showed more vigorous growth, especially in terms of root development, than the wild-type plants in the presence of 250 mM NaCl under hydroponic growth conditions. The content of proline was enhanced but the MDA content was decreased in the transgenic cotton seedlings under drought and salt treatments compared to the wild-type. Furthermore, SNAC1-overexpressing cotton plants also displayed significantly improved tolerance to both drought and salt stresses in the greenhouse. The performances of the SNAC1-overexpressing lines under drought and salt stress were significantly better than those of the wild-type in terms of the boll number. During the drought and salt treatments, the transpiration rate of transgenic plants significantly decreased in comparison to the wild-type, but the photosynthesis rate maintained the same at the flowering stage in the transgenic plants. These results suggested that overexpression of SNAC1 improve more tolerance to drought and salt in cotton through enhanced root development and reduced transpiration rates.
National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, P. R. China ; College of Tobacco Science, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan, P. R. China.
Guanze
G
Liu
Agricultural College, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, P. R. China.
Xuelin
X
Li
National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, P. R. China.
Shuangxia
S
Jin
National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, P. R. China.
Xuyan
X
Liu
National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, P. R. China.
Longfu
L
Zhu
National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, P. R. China.
Yichun
Y
Nie
National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, P. R. China.
Xianlong
X
Zhang
D018533:Biomass; D055864:Droughts; D017343:Genes, Plant; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D003368:Gossypium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D018527:Hydroponics; D012275:Oryza / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D018526:Plant Transpiration / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D055049:Salt Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D036226:Seedlings / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects; D014170:Transformation, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects
D010940:Plant Proteins; D012965:Sodium Chloride