title: Tamarix hispida zinc finger protein ThZFP1 participates in salt and osmotic stress tolerance by increasing proline content and SOD and POD activities.
abstract: Zinc finger proteins (ZFPs) are a large family that play important roles in various biological processes, such as signal transduction, RNA binding, morphogenesis, transcriptional regulation, abiotic or biotic stress response. However, the functions of ZFPs involved in abiotic stress are largely not known. In the present study, we cloned and functionally characterized a ZFP gene, ThZFP1, from Tamarix hispida. The expression of ThZFP1 is highly induced by NaCl, mannitol or ABA treatment. To study the function of ThZFP1 involved in abiotic stress response, transgenic T. hispida plants with overexpression or knockdown of ThZFP1 were generated using a transient transformation system. Gain- and loss-of-function studies of ThZFP1 suggested that ThZFP1 can induce the expression of a series of genes, including delta-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (P5CS), peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), leading to accumulation of proline and enhanced activities of SOD and POD. These physiological changes enhanced proline content and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging capability when exposed to salt or osmotic stress. All the results obtained from T. hispida plants were further confirmed by analyses of the transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing ThZFP1. These data together suggested that ThZFP1 positively regulates proline accumulation and activities of SOD and POD under salt and osmotic stress conditions.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding (Northeast Forestry University), 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China.
authors.forename: Dandan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding (Northeast Forestry University), 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding (Northeast Forestry University), 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoyu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding (Northeast Forestry University), 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China. Electronic address: wangyucheng@ms.xjb.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Yucheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects; D017343:Genes, Plant; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D010544:Peroxidases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D011392:Proline / Q000378:metabolism*; D055049:Salt Tolerance / Q000235:genetics*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism*; D032363:Tamaricaceae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D011392:Proline; D010544:Peroxidases; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase
keywords: Abiotic stress; Proline content; Reactive oxygen species; Tamarix hispida; Zinc finger protein