title: A Casparian strip domain-like gene, CASPL, negatively alters growth and cold tolerance.
abstract: A cold-induced transcript encoding a Casparian strip membrane domain (CASP)-like protein (ClCASPL) was identified in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus). Fluorescence microscopy analysis showed that ClCASPL-GFP is localized in the plasma membrane. The orthologous gene in Arabidopsis thaliana (AtCASPL4C1) was also found to play an important role in cold tolerance. Expression analysis using a β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter reveals that AtCASPL4C1 is widely expressed in a variety of organs and is cold inducible. Analysis of AtCASPL4C1 T-DNA knock-out plants showed altered growth dynamics, faster growth, increased biomass (dry weight) and earlier flowering compared to wild type (Col-0) and ClCASPL overexpressing plants. AtCASPL4C1 knock-out plants showed elevated tolerance to cold stress, while overexpressing CICASPL resulted in increased sensitivity to cold stress in Arabidopsis. Interestingly, AtCASPL4C1 knock-out plants did not display significant alterations in the Casparian strip formation in roots. Thus, the combination of these results suggests a role for CICASPL and AtCASPL4C1 beyond Casparian strip formation in roots, possibly indicating a more fundamental role in vascular tissue.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Germplasm Innovation and Molecular Breeding, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, P. R. China.|Key laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development &Quality Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Hangzhou, 310058, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Jinghua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Germplasm Innovation and Molecular Breeding, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, P. R. China.|Key laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development &Quality Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Hangzhou, 310058, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Changqing
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Germplasm Innovation and Molecular Breeding, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, P. R. China.|Key laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development &Quality Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Hangzhou, 310058, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Baochen
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Germplasm Innovation and Molecular Breeding, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, P. R. China.|Key laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development &Quality Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Hangzhou, 310058, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Cuiting
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Science, School of Life Science, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, LaTrobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3086, Australian.
authors.forename: Reena
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Narsai
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Science, School of Life Science, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, LaTrobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3086, Australian.
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Whelan
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Germplasm Innovation and Molecular Breeding, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, P. R. China.|Key laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development &Quality Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Hangzhou, 310058, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Zhongyuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Germplasm Innovation and Molecular Breeding, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, P. R. China.|Key laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development &Quality Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Hangzhou, 310058, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Mingfang
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000220:Adaptation, Biological / Q000235:genetics*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D029773:Citrullus / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003080:Cold Temperature; D015870:Gene Expression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D023061:Gene Order; D017343:Genes, Plant; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010641:Phenotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D021381:Protein Transport; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000235:genetics*