title: Transgenic alfalfa plants expressing the sweetpotato Orange gene exhibit enhanced abiotic stress tolerance.
abstract: Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), a perennial forage crop with high nutritional content, is widely distributed in various environments worldwide. We recently demonstrated that the sweetpotato Orange gene (IbOr) is involved in increasing carotenoid accumulation and enhancing resistance to multiple abiotic stresses. In this study, in an effort to improve the nutritional quality and environmental stress tolerance of alfalfa, we transferred the IbOr gene into alfalfa (cv. Xinjiang Daye) under the control of an oxidative stress-inducible peroxidase (SWPA2) promoter through Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. Among the 11 transgenic alfalfa lines (referred to as SOR plants), three lines (SOR2, SOR3, and SOR8) selected based on their IbOr transcript levels were examined for their tolerance to methyl viologen (MV)-induced oxidative stress in a leaf disc assay. The SOR plants exhibited less damage in response to MV-mediated oxidative stress and salt stress than non-transgenic plants. The SOR plants also exhibited enhanced tolerance to drought stress, along with higher total carotenoid levels. The results suggest that SOR alfalfa plants would be useful as forage crops with improved nutritional value and increased tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses, which would enhance the development of sustainable agriculture on marginal lands.
authors.affiliation: Plant Systems Engineering Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, 305-4432, Korea; Department of Horticulture, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea; State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Science and Ministry of Water Resources, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Plant Systems Engineering Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, 305-4432, Korea; Department of Green Chemistry and Environmental Biotechnology, Korea University of Science & Technology, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Qingbo
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ke
authors.affiliation: Plant Systems Engineering Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, 305-4432, Korea.
authors.forename: Myoung Duck
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Plant Systems Engineering Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, 305-4432, Korea.
authors.forename: Sun Ha
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Plant Systems Engineering Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, 305-4432, Korea; Department of Green Chemistry and Environmental Biotechnology, Korea University of Science & Technology, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Chang Yoon
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: Plant Systems Engineering Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, 305-4432, Korea; Department of Green Chemistry and Environmental Biotechnology, Korea University of Science & Technology, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Cheol
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Plant Systems Engineering Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, 305-4432, Korea; Department of Green Chemistry and Environmental Biotechnology, Korea University of Science & Technology, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Haeng-Soon
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea.
authors.forename: Woo Sung
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea.
authors.forename: Mi-Jeong
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Science and Ministry of Water Resources, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hongbing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Science and Ministry of Water Resources, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Bingcheng
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Science and Ministry of Water Resources, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiping
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Grassland and Forages Division, National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration, Cheonan, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang-Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Horticulture, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Pyo
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Plant Systems Engineering Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, 305-4432, Korea; Department of Green Chemistry and Environmental Biotechnology, Korea University of Science & Technology, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang-Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kwak
mesh_terms: D002338:Carotenoids / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D055864:Droughts; D017343:Genes, Plant; D027723:Ipomoea batatas / Q000235:genetics*; D000455:Medicago sativa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010269:Paraquat / Q000633:toxicity; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D055049:Salt Tolerance / Q000235:genetics; D055051:Salt-Tolerant Plants / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D002338:Carotenoids; D010269:Paraquat