title: Cloning and characterization of SnRK2 subfamily II genes from Nicotiana tabacum.
abstract: SnRK2 is a plant-specific protein kinase family involved in abiotic stress signalling. In this study, NtSnRK2.1, NtSnRK2.2, and NtSnRK2.3, were cloned from tobacco by in silico cloning and reverse transcription PCR. The three protein kinases were classed into subfamily II of the SnRK2 family using a phylogenetic tree and C-terminus analysis. Subcellular localization revealed NtSnRK2s in the nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments. Dynamic expression of NtSnRK2s in tobacco plants that were exposed to drought, salt, or cold stressors were characterised using quantitative real-time PCR. It was revealed that the three genes showed similar patterns of transcription under abiotic stress responses; there was evidence NtSnRK2s participated in abscisic acid-dependent signalling pathways. NtSnRK2.1-3 responded much faster to drought and salt than to cold stress. To investigate the role of NtSnRK2s under abiotic stresses, NtSnRK2.1 gene was over-expressed in tobacco. A stress tolerance assay showed that tobacco plants that over-expressed NtSnRK2.1 plants had greater salt tolerance. The results indicate that NtSnRK2s are involved in abiotic stress response pathways.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Cultivation of Tobacco Industry, College of Tobacco Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China.
authors.forename: Hongying
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hongfang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Guoshun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Shengnan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Songtao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yongxia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Peipei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cui
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002451:Cell Compartmentation; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003080:Cold Temperature; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D055864:Droughts; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D015398:Signal Transduction; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D018744:DNA, Plant; D010940:Plant Proteins; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases