title: SiASR4, the Target Gene of SiARDP fromSetaria italica, Improves Abiotic Stress Adaption in Plants.
abstract: Drought and other types of abiotic stresses negatively affect plant growth and crop yields. The abscisic acid-, stress-, and ripening-induced (ASR) proteins play important roles in the protection of plants against abiotic stress. However, the regulatory pathway of the gene encoding this protein remains to be elucidated. In this study, the foxtail millet (Setaria italica) ASR gene,SiASR4, was cloned and characterized. SiASR4 localized to the cell nucleus, cytoplasm and cytomembrane, and the protein contained 102 amino acids, including an ABA/WDS (abscisic acid/water-deficit stress) domain, with a molecular mass of 11.5 kDa. The abundance ofSiASR4transcripts increased after treatment with ABA, NaCl, and PEG in foxtail millet seedlings. It has been reported that theS. italicaABA-responsive DRE-binding protein (SiARDP) binds to a DNA sequence with a CCGAC core and that there are five dehydration-responsive element (DRE) motifs within theSiASR4promoter. Our analyses demonstrated that the SiARDP protein could bind to theSiASR4promoterin vitroandin vivo. The expression ofSiASR4increased inSiARDP-overexpressing plants.SiASR4-transgenicArabidopsisandSiASR4-overexpressing foxtail millet exhibited enhanced tolerance to drought and salt stress. Furthermore, the transcription of stress-responsive and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger-associated genes was activated inSiASR4transgenic plants. Together, these findings show thatSiASR4functions in the adaption to drought and salt stress and is regulated bySiARDPvia an ABA-dependent pathway.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jianrui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Cong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yanlin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jingjuan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
keywords: ABA-dependent pathway; Setaria italica; SiASR4; drought; foxtail millet; salt