Wheat mitogen-activated protein kinase gene TaMPK4 improves plant tolerance to multiple stresses through modifying root growth, ROS metabolism, and nutrient acquisitions.
Wheat MAPK member TaMPK4 responds to abiotic stresses of Pi and N deprivations and high salinity and is crucial in regulating plant tolerance to aforementioned stresses. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are important signal transduction modules in regulating plant responses to various environmental stresses. In this study, a wheat MAPK member referred to TaMPK4 was characterized for its roles in mediating plant tolerance to diverse stresses. TaMPK4 shares conserved domains generally identified in plant MAPKs and possesses in vitro kinase activity. Under stresses of Pi and N deprivations and high salinity, TaMPK4 was strongly upregulated and its expressions were restored upon recovery treatments from above stresses. Sense- and antisense-expressing TaMPK4 in tobacco significantly modified plant growth under the stress conditions and dramatically modified the root architecture through transcriptional regulation of the auxin transport-associated genes NtPIN3 and NtPIN9, whose downregulated expressions dramatically reduced the root growth. Compared with wild type (WT), the antioxidant enzymatic activities under the stress conditions, P accumulation under P deprivation, and N amount under N deficiency were altered dramatically in the transgenic plants, showing higher in the TaMPK4-overexpressing and lower in the TaMPK4-knockout plants, which were in concordance with the modified expressions of a set of antioxidant enzyme genes (NtPOD2;1, NtPOD9, NtSOD2, NtFeSOD, and NtCAT), two phosphate transporter genes (NtPT and NtPT2), and two nitrate transporter genes (NtNRT1.1-s and NtNRT1.1-t), respectively. Downregulated expression of above genes in tobacco largely reduced the plant growth, and Pi and N acquisitions under the stress conditions. TaMPK4 also involved regulations of plant K(+) and osmolyte contents under high salinity. Thus, TaMPK4 is functional in regulating plant tolerance to diverse stresses through modifying various biological processes.
College of Life Sciences, Agricultural University of Hebei, No. 289, Lingyusi Stresst, Baoding, 071001, People's Republic of China.
Lin
L
Hao
College of Agronomy, Agricultural University of Hebei, No. 289, Lingyusi Stresst, Baoding, 071001, People's Republic of China.|College of Life Sciences, Agricultural University of Hebei, No. 289, Lingyusi Stresst, Baoding, 071001, People's Republic of China.
Yanli
Y
Wen
College of Agronomy, Agricultural University of Hebei, No. 289, Lingyusi Stresst, Baoding, 071001, People's Republic of China.
Yuanyuan
Y
Zhao
College of Life Sciences, Agricultural University of Hebei, No. 289, Lingyusi Stresst, Baoding, 071001, People's Republic of China. luwenjing@sohu.com.
Wenjing
W
Lu
College of Agronomy, Agricultural University of Hebei, No. 289, Lingyusi Stresst, Baoding, 071001, People's Republic of China. xiaokai@hebau.edu.cn.
Kai
K
Xiao
D015870:Gene Expression; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism*; D054712:Salinity; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D014908:Triticum / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015854:Up-Regulation
D010940:Plant Proteins; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
Expression; Gene function; Mitogen-activated protein kinase; Pi and N deprivation and salt stress; ROS metabolism; Root growth feature