title: Ectopic expression of Pokkali phosphoglycerate kinase-2 (OsPGK2-P) improves yield in tobacco plants under salinity stress.
abstract: Our results indicate that OsPGK2a-P gene is differentially regulated in contrasting rice cultivars under stress and its overexpression confers salt stress tolerance in transgenic tobacco. Phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK; EC = 2.7.2.3) plays a major role for ATP production during glycolysis and 1, 3-bisphosphoglycerate production to participate in the Calvin cycle for carbon fixation in plants. Whole genome analysis of rice reveals the presence of four PGK genes (OsPgks) on different chromosomes. Comparative expression analysis of OsPgks in rice revealed highest level of transcripts for OsPgk2 at most of its developmental stages. Detailed characterization of OsPgk2 transcript and protein showed that it is strongly induced by salinity stress in two contrasting genotypes of rice, i.e., cv IR64 (salt sensitive) and landrace Pokkali (salt tolerant). Ectopic expression of OsPgk2a-P (isolated from Pokkali) in transgenic tobacco improved its salinity stress tolerance by higher chlorophyll retention and enhanced proline accumulation, besides maintaining better ion homeostasis. Ectopically expressing OsPgk2a-P transgenic tobacco plants showed tall phenotype with more number of pods than wild-type plants. Therefore, OsPgk2a-P appears to be a potential candidate for increasing salinity stress tolerance and enhanced yield in crop plants.
authors.affiliation: Stress Physiology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India. joshirohit6@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rohit
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.affiliation: Stress Physiology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India. karan.ratna@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ratna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Karan
authors.affiliation: Plant Molecular Biology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, 110067, India. sneh@icgeb.res.in.
authors.forename: Sneh L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Singla-Pareek
authors.affiliation: Stress Physiology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India. ashwanip@mail.jnu.ac.in.
authors.forename: Ashwani
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pareek
mesh_terms: D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000378:metabolism; D000066630:Ectopic Gene Expression; D035264:Flowers / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D005838:Genotype; D018525:Germination; D012275:Oryza / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D010735:Phosphoglycerate Kinase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010788:Photosynthesis; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D054712:Salinity; D055049:Salt Tolerance; D036226:Seedlings / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D002734:Chlorophyll; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D010735:Phosphoglycerate Kinase
keywords: Abiotic stress; OsPGK2; Phosphoglycerate kinase; Rice; Salinity; Tobacco