title: Heterologous expression of antifreeze protein gene AnAFP from Ammopiptanthus nanus enhances cold tolerance in Escherichia coli and tobacco.
abstract: Antifreeze proteins are a class of polypeptides produced by certain animals, plants, fungi and bacteria that permit their survival under the subzero environments. Ammopiptanthus nanus is the unique evergreen broadleaf bush endemic to the Mid-Asia deserts. It survives at the west edge of the Tarim Basin from the disappearance of the ancient Mediterranean in the Tertiary Period. Its distribution region is characterized by the arid climate and extreme temperatures, where the extreme temperatures range from -30 °C to 40 °C. In the present study, the antifreeze protein gene AnAFP of A. nanus was used to transform Escherichia coli and tobacco, after bioinformatics analysis for its possible function. The transformed E. coli strain expressed the heterologous AnAFP gene under the induction of isopropyl β-D-thiogalactopyranoside, and demonstrated significant enhancement of cold tolerance. The transformed tobacco lines expressed the heterologous AnAFP gene in response to cold stress, and showed a less change of relative electrical conductivity under cold stress, and a less wilting phenotype after 16 h of -3 °C cold stress and thawing for 1h than the untransformed wild-type plants. All these results imply the potential value of the AnAFP gene to be used in genetic modification of commercially important crops for improvement of cold tolerance.
authors: Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, PR China.
authors: Long-Qun
authors: LQ
authors: Deng
authors: Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, PR China.
authors: Hao-Qiang
authors: HQ
authors: Yu
authors: Faculty of Plant Science, Tarim University, Alar, Xinjiang 843300, PR China.
authors: Yan-Ping
authors: YP
authors: Liu
authors: Faculty of Plant Science, Tarim University, Alar, Xinjiang 843300, PR China.
authors: Pei-Pei
authors: PP
authors: Jiao
authors: Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, PR China.
authors: Shu-Feng
authors: SF
authors: Zhou
authors: Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, PR China.
authors: Su-Zhi
authors: SZ
authors: Zhang
authors: Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, PR China. Electronic address: aumdyms@sicau.edu.cn.
authors: Wan-Chen
authors: WC
authors: Li
authors: Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, PR China. Electronic address: ffl@sicau.edu.cn.
authors: Feng-Ling
authors: FL
authors: Fu
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000235:genetics; D021301:Antifreeze Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D003080:Cold Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects; D058639:Cold-Shock Response / Q000235:genetics*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005615:Freezing; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014170:Transformation, Genetic
chemical_list: D021301:Antifreeze Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins
keywords: Ammopiptanthus nanus; Antifreeze protein; Cold tolerance; Escherichia coli; Heterologous expression; Tobacco