title: SmLEA2, a gene for late embryogenesis abundant protein isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza, confers tolerance to drought and salt stress in Escherichia coli and S. miltiorrhiza.
abstract: Abiotic stresses, such as drought and high salinity, are major factors that limit plant growth and productivity. Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins are members of a diverse, multigene family closely associated with tolerance to abiotic stresses in numerous organisms. We examined the function of SmLEA2, previously isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza, in defense responses to drought and high salinity. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that SmLEA2 belongs to the LEA_2 subfamily. Its overexpression in Escherichia coli improved growth performance when compared with the control under salt and drought stresses. We further characterized its roles in S. miltiorrhiza through overexpression and RNAi-mediated silencing. In response to drought and salinity treatments, transgenic plants overexpressing SmLEA2 exhibited significantly increased superoxide dismutase activity, reduced levels of lipid peroxidation, and more vigorous growth than empty-vector control plants did. However, transgenic lines in which expression was suppressed showed the opposite results. Our data demonstrate that SmLEA2 plays an important role in the abiotic stress response and its overexpression in transgenic S. miltiorrhiza improves tolerance to excess salt and drought conditions.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China.
authors.forename: Huaiqin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China.
authors.forename: Yucui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China.
authors.forename: Xinbing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China.
authors.forename: Xiaorong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China. caoxiaoyan@snnu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cao
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D055864:Droughts; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects; D017343:Genes, Plant; D050296:Microbial Viability / Q000187:drug effects; D010641:Phenotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D018526:Plant Transpiration / Q000187:drug effects; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D054712:Salinity; D027561:Salvia miltiorrhiza / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; C066246:late embryogenesis abundant protein, plant; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium
keywords: Abiotic stress; Escherichia coli; LEA; Salvia miltiorrhiza