title: Expression of the citrus CsTIP2;1 gene improves tobacco plant growth, antioxidant capacity and physiological adaptation under stress conditions.
abstract: Overexpression of the citrus CsTIP2;1 improves plant growth and tolerance to salt and drought stresses by enhancing cell expansion, H2O2detoxification and stomatal conductance. Tonoplast intrinsic proteins (TIPs) are a subfamily of aquaporins, belonging to the major intrinsic protein family. In a previous study, we have shown that a citrus TIP isoform, CsTIP2;1, is highly expressed in leaves and also transcriptionally regulated in leaves and roots by salt and drought stresses and infection by 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus', the causal agent of the Huanglongbing disease, suggesting its involvement in the regulation of the flow of water and nutrients required during both normal growth and stress conditions. Here, we show that the overexpression of CsTIP2;1 in transgenic tobacco increases plant growth under optimal and water- and salt-stress conditions and also significantly improves the leaf water and oxidative status, photosynthetic capacity, transpiration rate and water use efficiency of plants subjected to a progressive soil drying. These results correlated with the enhanced mesophyll cell expansion, midrib aquiferous parenchyma abundance, H2O2detoxification and stomatal conductance observed in the transgenic plants. Taken together, our results indicate that CsTIP2;1 plays an active role in regulating the water and oxidative status required for plant growth and adaptation to stressful environmental conditions and may be potentially useful for engineering stress tolerance in citrus and other crop plants.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, BA, 45662-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cristina P S
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, BA, 45662-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Diana M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Neves
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, BA, 45662-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luciana C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Cidade
authors.affiliation: Instituto Federal da Bahia, Ilhéus, BA, 45650-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Amanda F S
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, BA, 45662-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Delmira C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, BA, 45662-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alex-Alan F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura, Cruz das Almas, BA, 44380-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mauricio A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Coelho-Filho
authors.affiliation: Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura, Cruz das Almas, BA, 44380-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Abelmon S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Gesteira
authors.affiliation: Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura, Cruz das Almas, BA, 44380-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Walter S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Soares-Filho
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, BA, 45662-900, Brazil. proteoma@uesc.br.
authors.forename: Marcio G C
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Costa
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D020346:Aquaporins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002957:Citrus / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D055864:Droughts; D015870:Gene Expression; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010788:Photosynthesis; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D054046:Plant Stomata / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D018526:Plant Transpiration; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000378:metabolism; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D014867:Water / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D020346:Aquaporins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; C077491:tonoplast intrinsic protein, plant; D014867:Water; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide
keywords: Abiotic stress; Aquaporin; Drought tolerance; Major intrinsic protein; Orange; Photosynthesis; Reactive oxygen species