Ectopic expression of TaOEP16-2-5B, a wheat plastid outer envelope protein gene, enhances heat and drought stress tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis plants.
Abiotic stresses, such as heat and drought, are major environmental factors restricting crop productivity and quality worldwide. A plastid outer envelope protein gene, TaOEP16-2, was identified from our previous transcriptome analysis [1,2]. In this study, the isolation and functional characterization of the TaOEP16-2 gene was reported. Three homoeologous sequences of TaOEP16-2 were isolated from hexaploid wheat, which were localized on the chromosomes 5A, 5B and 5D, respectively. These three homoeologues exhibited different expression patterns under heat stress conditions, TaOEP16-2-5B was the dominant one, and TaOEP16-2-5B was selected for further analysis. Compared with wild type (WT) plants, transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing the TaOEP16-2-5B gene exhibited enhanced tolerance to heat stress, which was supported by improved survival rate, strengthened cell membrane stability and increased sucrose content. It was also found that TaOEP16-2 was induced by drought stress and involved in drought stress tolerance. TaOEP16-2-5B has the same function in ABA-controlled seed germination as AtOEP16-2. Our results suggest that TaOEP16-2-5B plays an important role in heat and drought stress tolerance, and could be utilized in transgenic breeding of wheat and other crop plants.
State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Xinshan
X
Zang
State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Xiaoli
X
Geng
State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Kelu
K
Liu
State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Fei
F
Wang
State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Zhenshan
Z
Liu
State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Liyuan
L
Zhang
State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Yue
Y
Zhao
State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Xuejun
X
Tian
State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Zhaorong
Z
Hu
State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Yingyin
Y
Yao
State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Zhongfu
Z
Ni
State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Mingming
M
Xin
State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Qixin
Q
Sun
State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China. Electronic address: penghuiru@cau.edu.cn.
Huiru
H
Peng
D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003681:Dehydration / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000066630:Ectopic Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D054627:Genome, Plastid / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D018087:Plastids / Q000235:genetics; D000071436:Thermotolerance / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D014908:Triticum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
D010940:Plant Proteins
Arabidopsis; Drought stress; Heat stress; TaOEP16-2-5B; Transgenic; Wheat