title: SiLEA14, a novel atypical LEA protein, confers abiotic stress resistance in foxtail millet.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins are involved in protecting higher plants from damage caused by environmental stresses. Foxtail millet (Setaria italica) is an important cereal crop for food and feed in semi-arid areas. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying tolerance to these conditions are not well defined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Here, we characterized a novel atypical LEA gene named SiLEA14 from foxtail millet. It contains two exons separated by one intron. SiLEA14 was expressed in roots, stems, leaves, inflorescences and seeds at different levels under normal growth conditions. In addition, SiLEA14 was dramatically induced by osmotic stress, NaCl and exogenous abscisic acid. The SiLEA14 protein was localized in the nucleus and the cytoplasm. Overexpression of SiLEA14 improved Escherichia coli growth performance compared with the control under salt stress. To further assess the function of SiLEA14 in plants, transgenic Arabidopsis and foxtail millet plants that overexpressed SiLEA14 were obtained. The transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings showed higher tolerance to salt and osmotic stress than the wild type (WT). Similarly, the transgenic foxtail millet showed improved growth under salt and drought stresses compared with the WT. Taken together, our results indicated that SiLEA14 is a novel atypical LEA protein and plays important roles in resistance to abiotic stresses in plants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We characterized a novel atypical LEA gene SiLEA14 from foxtail millet, which plays important roles in plant abiotic stress resistance. Modification of SiLEA14 expression may improve abiotic stress resistance in agricultural crops.
authors.forename: Meizhen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Cong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yanlin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Xiyuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Dengyun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Jingjuan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000040:Abscisic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D018556:Crops, Agricultural; D055864:Droughts; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000494:pharmacology; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D055049:Salt Tolerance; D036226:Seedlings / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D032983:Setaria Plant / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D013312:Stress, Physiological
chemical_list: D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; D010940:Plant Proteins; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D000040:Abscisic Acid