title: A novel Ap2/ERF transcription factor from Stipa purpurea leads to enhanced drought tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana.
abstract: SpERF1 acts as a positive regulator, contributing to drought stress tolerance in A. thaliana through activating DRE/CRT elements in the promoters of abiotic stress-responsive genes. Stipa purpurea is an endemic perennial grass species in alpine arid and semi-arid meadows on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, which is highly tolerant against drought and cold. ERF transcription factors are known to regulate gene expression under abiotic and biotic treatments. Herein, we isolated a full-length ERF gene CDS from S. purpurea named SpERF1, which was induced by drought, cold, and jasmonic acid stresses. Subcellular localization revealed that SpERF1 is a nuclear protein, consistent with its roles as a transcription factor. Overexpression of SpERF1 enhanced drought tolerance of transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana via the activation of DRE/CRT elements in the promoters of abiotic stress-responsive genes. Furthermore, increased accumulation of proline indicated that SpERF1 might be involved in proline synthesis in the transgenic lines, allowing them to have a better buffering capacity and membrane protection under drought stress. This study indicated that SpERF1 might be an attractive target in the genetic engineering for improving stress tolerance in other crops. Moreover, SpERF1 protein function analysis increased our understanding of S. purpurea's ability to adapt to the adverse conditions of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Science, Kunming, 650204, China.|Plant Germplasm and Genomics Center, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China.|Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research at Kunming, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China.
authors.forename: Yunqiang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Science, Kunming, 650204, China.|Plant Germplasm and Genomics Center, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China.|Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research at Kunming, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Science, Kunming, 650204, China.|Plant Germplasm and Genomics Center, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China.|Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research at Kunming, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China.
authors.forename: Xiong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Science, Kunming, 650204, China.|Plant Germplasm and Genomics Center, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China.|Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research at Kunming, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
authors.forename: Jiancan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Science, Kunming, 650204, China.|Plant Germplasm and Genomics Center, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China.|Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research at Kunming, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Science, Kunming, 650204, China. sunxudong@mail.kib.ac.cn.|Plant Germplasm and Genomics Center, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China. sunxudong@mail.kib.ac.cn.|Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research at Kunming, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China. sunxudong@mail.kib.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Xudong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Science, Kunming, 650204, China. yangyp@mail.kib.ac.cn.|Plant Germplasm and Genomics Center, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China. yangyp@mail.kib.ac.cn.|Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research at Kunming, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China. yangyp@mail.kib.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Yongping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000235:genetics; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D055864:Droughts; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000378:metabolism; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant; D010641:Phenotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D006109:Poaceae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011392:Proline / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011485:Protein Binding; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D036226:Seedlings / Q000235:genetics; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000235:genetics; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000378:metabolism; D050656:Transcription Factor AP-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004573:Electrolytes; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D050656:Transcription Factor AP-2; D011392:Proline
keywords: Cloning; Drought; Gene expression; SpERF1; Stipa purpurea