Differentially expressed genes between WT and AtC3H3 OX, and WT and AtC3H26 OX
Salinity is a pressing issue causing widespread crop loss, prompting plants to adapt through changes in gene expression. This study investigated the role of the non-tandem CCCH zinc finger protein gene AtC3H3 in Arabidopsis in response to salt stress. AtC3H3, a gene from the non-TZF gene family and known for its RNA-binding and ribonuclease activity, was found to be upregulated under osmotic stresses such as high salt and drought. When overexpressed in Arabidopsis, AtC3H3 led to increased tolerance to salt stress, not drought stress. qRT-PCR analysis showed that the expression of both well-known ABA-dependent salt stress-responsive genes, such as RAB18, RD29B, and RD22, and representative ABA-independent salt stress-responsive genes, such as DREB2A and DREB2B, was significantly higher in AtC3H3 OXs than WT under NaCl treatment, indicating its involvement in both ABA-dependent and ABA-independent signaling pathways. mRNA-Seq analysis using NaCl-treated WT and AtC3H3 OXs revealed no potential target mRNAs of the RNase function of AtC3H3, suggesting that the potential targets of AtC3H3 might be non-coding RNAs, not mRNAs.  The study conclusively demonstrates that AtC3H3 plays a crucial role in salt stress tolerance by influencing the expression of salt stress-responsive genes. These findings have opened a new avenue for understanding plant stress mechanisms and suggest potential strategies for enhancing crop resilience to salinity. Overall design: Differential gene expression between WT and AtC3H3 OX, as well as between WT and AtC3H26 OX, was examined under both no treatment and NaCl treatment conditions at 10 days after germination under SD conditions (8-hour-light and 16-hour-dark cycle) on a whole-genome level.