Effects on Plant Growth and Reproduction of a Peach R2R3-MYB Transcription Factor Overexpressed in Tobacco

Abscisic acid-induced transcription factor PsMYB306 negatively regulates tree peony bud dormancy release

Bud dormancy is a crucial strategy for perennial plants to withstand adverse winter conditions. However, the regulatory mechanism of bud dormancy in tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa) remains largely unknown. Here, we observed dramatically reduced and increased accumulation of abscisic acid (ABA) and bioactive gibberellins (GAs) GA1 and GA3, respectively, during bud endodormancy release of tree peony under prolonged chilling treatment. An Illumina RNA sequencing study was performed to identify potential genes involved in the bud endodormancy regulation in tree peony. Correlation matrix, principal component, and interaction network analyses identified a downregulated MYB transcription factor gene, PsMYB306, the expression of which positively correlated with 9-CIS-EPOXYCAROTENOID DIOXYGENASE 3 (PsNCED3) expression. Protein modeling analysis revealed 4 residues within the R2R3 domain of PsMYB306 to possess DNA binding capability. Transcription of PsMYB306 was increased by ABA treatment. Overexpression of PsMYB306 in petunia (Petunia hybrida) inhibited seed germination and plant growth, concomitant with elevated ABA and decreased GA contents. Silencing of PsMYB306 accelerated cold-triggered tree peony bud burst and influenced the production of ABA and GAs and the expression of their biosynthetic genes. ABA application reduced bud dormancy release and transcription of ENT-KAURENOIC ACID OXIDASE 1 (PsKAO1), GA20-OXIDASE 1 (PsGA20ox1), and GA3-OXIDASE 1 (PsGA3ox1) associated with GA biosynthesis in PsMYB306-silenced buds. In vivo and in vitro binding assays confirmed that PsMYB306 specifically transactivated the promoter of PsNCED3. Silencing of PsNCED3 also promoted bud break and growth. Altogether, our findings suggest that PsMYB306 negatively modulates cold-induced bud endodormancy release by regulating ABA production.

Genome sequencing revealed the red-flower trait candidate gene of a peach landrace

Peach (Prunus persica) is an economically important fruit crop globally and an excellent material for genomic studies. While considerable progress has been made in unveiling trait-associated genes within cultivars and wild relatives, certain novel genes controlling valuable traits in peach landraces, such as the red-flowering gene, remained unclear. In this study, we sequenced and assembled the diploid genome of the red-flower landrace 'Yingzui' (abbreviated as 'RedY'). Multi-omics profiling of red petals of 'RedY' revealed the intensified red coloration associated with anthocyanins accumulation and concurrent decline in flavonols. This phenomenon is likely attributed to a natural variant of Flavonol Synthase (FLS) harboring a 9-bp exonic insertion. Intriguingly, the homozygous allelic configurations of this FLS variant were only observed in red-flowered peaches. Furthermore, the 9-bp sequence variation tightly associated with pink/red petal color in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of collected peach germplasm resources. Functional analyses of the FLS variant, purified from procaryotic expression system, demonstrated its diminished enzymatic activity in flavonols biosynthesis, impeccably aligning with the cardinal trait of red flowers. Therefore, the natural FLS variant was proposed as the best candidate gene for red-flowering trait in peach. The pioneering unveiling of the red-flowered peach genome, coupled with the identification of the candidate gene, expanded the knowledge boundaries of the genetic basis of peach traits and provided valuable insights for future peach breeding efforts.

Genome-wide identification, expression analysis, and potential roles under low-temperature stress of bHLH gene family in Prunus sibirica

The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family is one of the most well-known transcription factor families in plants, and it regulates growth, development, and abiotic stress responses. However, systematic analyses of the bHLH gene family in Prunus sibirica have not been reported to date. In this study, 104 PsbHLHs were identified and classified into 23 subfamilies that were unevenly distributed on eight chromosomes. Nineteen pairs of segmental replication genes and ten pairs of tandem replication genes were identified, and all duplicated gene pairs were under purifying selection. PsbHLHs of the same subfamily usually share similar motif compositions and exon-intron structures. PsbHLHs contain multiple stress-responsive elements. PsbHLHs exhibit functional diversity by interacting and coordinating with other members. Twenty PsbHLHs showed varying degrees of expression. Eleven genes up-regulated and nine genes down-regulated in -4°C. The majority of PsbHLHs were highly expressed in the roots and pistils. Transient transfection experiments demonstrated that transgenic plants with overexpressed PsbHLH42 have better cold tolerance. In conclusion, the results of this study have significant implications for future research on the involvement of bHLH genes in the development and stress responses of Prunus sibirica.

Optimization of Anthocyanin Production in Tobacco Cells

Plant cell cultures have emerged as a promising tool for producing active molecules due to their numerous advantages over traditional agricultural methods. Flavonols, and anthocyanin pigments in particular, together with other phenolic compounds such as chlorogenic acid, are known for their beneficial health properties, mainly due to their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activities. The synthesis of these molecules is finely regulated in plant cells and controlled at the transcriptional level by specific MYB and bHLH transcription factors that coordinate the transcription of structural biosynthetic genes. The co-expression of peach PpMYB10.1 and PpbHLH3 in tobacco was used to develop tobacco cell lines showing high expression of both the peach transgenes and the native flavonol structural genes. These cell lines were further selected for fast growth. High production levels of chlorogenic acid, anthocyanins (mainly cyanidin 3-rutinoside), and other phenolics were also achieved in pre-industrial scale-up trials. A single-column-based purification protocol was developed to produce a lyophile called ANT-CA, which was stable over time, showed beneficial effects on cell viability, and had antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and wound-healing activities. This lyophile could be a valuable ingredient for food or cosmetic applications.

MdMYB305-MdbHLH33-MdMYB10 regulates sugar and anthocyanin balance in red-fleshed apple fruits

Sugar and anthocyanin are important indicators of fruit quality, and understanding the mechanism underlying their accumulation is essential for breeding high-quality fruit. We identified an R2R3-MYB transcription factor MdMYB305 in the red-fleshed apple progeny, which was positively correlated with fruit sugar content but negatively correlated with anthocyanin content. Transient injection, stable expression [overexpressing and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9)], and heterologous transformation of tomato confirmed that MdMYB305 promotes the accumulation of sugar and inhibits the synthesis of anthocyanin. A series of molecular experiments (such as electrophoretic mobility shift and luciferase assays) confirmed that MdMYB305 combines with sugar-related genes (MdCWI1/MdVGT3/MdTMT2) and anthocyanin-related genes (MdF3H/MdDFR/MdUFGT), promoting and inhibiting their activities, and finally regulating the sugar and anthocyanin content of fruits. In addition, the study also found that MdMYB305 competes with MdMYB10 for the MdbHLH33 binding site to balance sugar and anthocyanin accumulation in the fruits, which provides a reference value for exploring more functions of the MYB-bHLH-MYB complex and the balance relationship between sugar and anthocyanin in the future.

Genetic and evolutionary dissection of melatonin response signaling facilitates the regulation of plant growth and stress responses

The expansion of gene families during evolution could generate functional diversity among their members to regulate plant growth and development. Melatonin, a phylogenetically ancient molecule, is vital for many aspects of a plant's life. Understanding the functional diversity of the molecular players involved in melatonin biosynthesis, signaling, and metabolism will facilitate the regulation of plant phenotypes. However, the molecular mechanism of melatonin response signaling elements in regulating this network still has many challenges. Here, we provide an in-depth analysis of the functional diversity and evolution of molecular components in melatonin signaling pathway. Genetic analysis of multiple mutants in plant species will shed light on the role of gene families in melatonin regulatory pathways. Phylogenetic analysis of these genes was performed, which will facilitate the identification of melatonin-related genes for future study. Based on the abovementioned signal networks, the mechanism of these genes was summarized to provide reference for studying the regulatory mechanism of melatonin in plant phenotypes. We hope that this work will facilitate melatonin research in higher plants and finely tuned spatio-temporal regulation of melatonin signaling.

Physiological changes besides the enhancement of pigmentation in Petunia hybrida caused by overexpression of PhAN2, an R2R3-MYB transcription factor

Ectopic expression of PhAN2 in vegetative tissue can improve regeneration and adventitious rooting but inhibit axillary bud outgrowth of petunia, while overexpression specifically in flowers could shorten longevity. Anthocyanin 2 has been only treated as a critical positive regulation factor of anthocyanin biosynthesis in petunia flowers. To determine if this gene had other functions in plant growth, we overexpressed this gene in an an2 mutant petunia cultivar driven by promoters with different strengths or tissue specificity. Various physiological processes of transformants in different growth stages and environments were analyzed. Besides the expected pigmentation improvement in different tissues, the results also showed that ectopic expression of AN2 could improve the regeneration skill but inhibit the axillary bud germination of in vitro plants. Moreover, the rooting ability of shoot tips of transformants was significantly improved, while some transgenic lines' flower longevity was shortened. Gene expression analysis showed that the transcripts level of AN2, partner genes anthocyanin 1 (AN1), anthocyanin 11 (AN11), and target gene dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR) was altered in the different transgenic lines. In addition, ethylene biosynthesis-related genes 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase (ACS1) and ACC oxidase (ACO1) were upregulated in rooting and flower senescence processes but at different time points. Overall, our data demonstrate that the critical role of this AN2 gene in plant growth physiology may extend beyond that of a single activator of anthocyanin biosynthesis.

PpMYB52 negatively regulates peach bud break through the gibberellin pathway and through interactions with PpMIEL1

Bud dormancy, which enables damage from cold temperatures to be avoided during winter and early spring, is an important adaptive mechanism of deciduous fruit trees to cope with seasonal environmental changes and temperate climates. Understanding the regulatory mechanism of bud break in fruit trees is highly important for the artificial control of bud break and the prevention of spring frost damage. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the involvement of MYB TFs during the bud break of peach is still unclear. In this study, we isolated and identified the PpMYB52 (Prupe.5G240000.1) gene from peach; this gene is downregulated in the process of bud break, upregulated in response to ABA and downregulated in response to GA. Overexpression of PpMYB52 suppresses the germination of transgenic tomato seeds. In addition, Y2H, Bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays verified that PpMYB52 interacts with a RING-type E3 ubiquitin ligase, PpMIEL1, which is upregulated during bud break may positively regulate peach bud break by ubiquitination-mediated degradation of PpMYB52. Our findings are the first to characterize the molecular mechanisms underlying the involvement of MYB TFs in peach bud break, increasing awareness of dormancy-related molecules to avoid bud damage in perennial deciduous fruit trees.

An MYB Transcription Factor Modulates Panax notoginseng Resistance Against the Root Rot Pathogen Fusarium solani by Regulating the Jasmonate Acid Signaling Pathway and Photosynthesis

Root rot of Panax notoginseng, a precious Chinese medicinal plant, seriously impacts its sustainable production. However, the molecular regulatory mechanisms employed by P. notoginseng against root rot pathogens, including Fusarium solani, are still unclear. In this study, the PnMYB2 gene was isolated, and its expression was affected by independent treatments with four signaling molecules (methyl jasmonate, ethephon, salicylic acid, and hydrogen peroxide) as assessed by quantitative real-time PCR. Moreover, the PnMYB2 expression level was induced by F. solani infection. The PnMYB2 protein localized to the nucleus and may function as a transcription factor. When overexpressed in transgenic tobacco, the PnMYB2 gene conferred resistance to F. solani. Jasmonic acid (JA) metabolism and disease resistance-related genes were induced in the transgenic tobacco, and the JA content significantly increased compared with in the wild type. Additionally, transcriptome sequencing, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes annotation enrichment, and metabolic pathway analyses of the differentially expressed genes in the transgenic tobacco revealed that JA metabolic, photosynthetic, and defense response-related pathways were activated. In summary, PnMYB2 is an important transcription factor in the defense responses of P. notoginseng against root rot pathogens that acts by regulating JA signaling, photosynthesis, and disease-resistance genes.

Cloning and Functional Verification of CmRAX2 Gene Associated with Chrysanthemum Lateral Branches Development

Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium), as one of the four major cut flowers in the world, occupies a large position in the world’s fresh cut flower market. The RAX2 gene is an R2R3 MYB transcription factor that is associated with the development of the axillary bud. In this study, the CmRAX2 gene cloned by homologous cloning in Chrysanthemum morifolium ‘Jinba’ is localized in the nucleus and cytoplasm, having a complete open reading frame (ORF) of 1050 bp and encoding 350 amino acids. The transactivation assay in yeast indicates that CmRAX2 is a transcriptional activator. Quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR) Analysis indicated that CmRAX2 was preferentially expressed in the lateral branches and roots of Chrysanthemum morifolium ‘Jinba’, 14.11 and 10.69 times more than in leaves. After the overexpression vector of CmRAX2 was constructed and transformed into Chrysanthemum morifolium ‘Jinba’, it was found that the number of lateral branches and plant height increased, and the emergence time of lateral branches and rooting time advanced after the overexpression of CmRAX2. The results showed that CmRAX2 can promote the lateral bud development of the chrysanthemum, which provides an important theoretical basis for the subsequent molecular breeding and standardized production of the chrysanthemum.

Genome-wide analysis of JAZ family genes expression patterns during fig (Ficus carica L.) fruit development and in response to hormone treatment

BACKGROUND

Jasmonate-ZIM domain (JAZ) repressors negatively regulate signal transduction of jasmonates, which regulate plant development and immunity. However, no comprehensive analysis of the JAZ gene family members has been done in the common fig (Ficus carica L.) during fruit development and hormonal treatment.

RESULTS

In this study, 10 non-redundant fig JAZ family genes (FcJAZs) distributed on 7 chromosomes were identified in the fig genome. Phylogenetic and structural analysis showed that FcJAZ genes can be grouped into 5 classes. All the classes contained relatively complete TIFY and Jas domains. Yeast two hybrid (Y2H) results showed that all FcJAZs proteins may interact with the identified transcription factor, FcMYC2. Tissue-specific expression analysis showed that FcJAZs were highly expressed in the female flowers and roots. Expression patterns of FcJAZs during the fruit development were analyzed by RNA-Seq and qRT-PCR. The findings showed that, most FcJAZs were significantly downregulated from stage 3 to 5 in the female flower, whereas downregulation of these genes was observed in the fruit peel from stage 4 to 5. Weighted-gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) showed the expression pattern of FcJAZs was correlated with hormone signal transduction and plant-pathogen interaction. Putative cis-elements analysis of FcJAZs and expression patterns of FcJAZs which respond to hormone treatments revealed that FcJAZs may regulate fig fruit development by modulating the effect of ethylene or gibberellin.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the FcJAZ family members and provides information on FcJAZs contributions and their role in regulating the common fig fruit development.

Development of Molecular Markers for Predicting Radish (Raphanus sativus) Flesh Color Based on Polymorphisms in the RsTT8 Gene

Red radish (Raphanus sativus L.) cultivars are a rich source of health-promoting anthocyanins and are considered a potential source of natural colorants used in the cosmetic industry. However, the development of red radish cultivars via conventional breeding is very difficult, given the unusual inheritance of the anthocyanin accumulation trait in radishes. Therefore, molecular markers linked with radish color are needed to facilitate radish breeding. Here, we characterized the RsTT8 gene isolated from four radish genotypes with different skin and flesh colors. Sequence analysis of RsTT8 revealed a large number of polymorphisms, including insertion/deletions (InDels), single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and simple sequence repeats (SSRs), between the red-fleshed and white-fleshed radish cultivars. To develop molecular markers on the basis of these polymorphisms for discriminating between radish genotypes with different colored flesh tissues, we designed four primer sets specific to the RsTT8 promoter, InDel, SSR, and WD40/acidic domain (WD/AD), and tested these primers on a diverse collection of radish lines. Except for the SSR-specific primer set, all primer sets successfully discriminated between red-fleshed and white-fleshed radish lines. Thus, we developed three molecular markers that can be efficiently used for breeding red-fleshed radish cultivars.

Meta-analysis of the effect of expression of MYB transcription factor genes on abiotic stress

Background

MYB proteins are a large group of transcription factors. The overexpression of MYB genes has been reported to improve abiotic stress tolerance in plant. However, due to the variety of plant species studied and the types of gene donors/recipients, along with different experimental conditions, it is difficult to interpret the roles of MYB in abiotic stress tolerance from published data.

Methods

Using meta-analysis approach, we investigated the plant characteristics involved in cold, drought, and salt stress in MYB-overexpressing plants and analyzed the degrees of influence on plant performance by experimental variables.

Results

The results show that two of the four measured plant parameters in cold-stressed plants, two of the six in drought-stressed, and four of the 13 in salt-stressed were significantly impacted by MYB overexpression by 22% or more, and the treatment medium, donor/recipient species, and donor type significantly influence the effects of MYB-overexpression on drought stress tolerance. Also, the donor/recipient species, donor type, and stress duration all significantly affected the extent of MYB-mediated salt stress tolerance. In summary, this study compiles and analyzes the data across studies to help us understand the complex interactions that dictate the efficacy of heterologous MYB expression designed for improved abiotic stress tolerance in plants.

Genome-Wide Analysis of the R2R3-MYB Gene Family in Fragaria × ananassa and Its Function Identification During Anthocyanins Biosynthesis in Pink-Flowered Strawberry

The strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) is an economically important fruit throughout the world. The large R2R3-MYB gene family participates in a variety of plant functions, including anthocyanin biosynthesis. The present study is the first genome-wide analysis of the MYB gene family in the octoploid strawberry and describes the identification and characterization of the family members using the recently sequenced F. × ananassa genome. Specifically, we aimed to identify the key MYBs involved in petal coloration in the pink-flowered strawberry, which increases its ornamental value. A comprehensive, genome-wide analysis of F. × ananassa R2R3-FaMYBs was performed, investigating gene structures, phylogenic relationships, promoter regions, chromosomal locations, and collinearity. A total of 393 R2R3-FaMYB genes were identified in the F. × ananassa genome and divided into 36 subgroups based on phylogenetic analysis. Most genes with similar functions in the same subgroup exhibited similar exon-intron structures and motif compositions. These R2R3-FaMYBs were unevenly distributed over 28 chromosomes. The expansion of the R2R3-FaMYB gene family in the F. × ananassa genome was found to be caused mainly by segmental duplication. The Ka/Ks analysis indicated that duplicated R2R3-FaMYBs mostly experienced purifying selection and showed limited functional divergence after the duplication events. To elucidate which R2R3-FaMYB genes were associated with anthocyanin biosynthesis in the petals of the pink-flowered strawberry, we compared transcriptional changes in different flower developmental stages using RNA-seq. There were 131 differentially expressed R2R3-FaMYB genes identified in the petals, of which three genes, FaMYB28, FaMYB54, and FaMYB576, appeared likely, based on the phylogenetic analysis, to regulate anthocyanin biosynthesis. The qRT-PCR showed that these three genes were more highly expressed in petals than in other tissues (fruit, leaf, petiole and stolon) and their expressions were higher in red compared to pink and white petals. These results facilitate the clarification on the roles of the R2R3-FaMYB genes in petal coloration in the pink-flowered strawberry. This work provides useful information for further functional analysis on the R2R3-FaMYB gene family in F. × ananassa.

Dynamic Changes of the Anthocyanin Biosynthesis Mechanism During the Development of Heading Chinese Cabbage (Brassica rapa L.) and Arabidopsis Under the Control of BrMYB2

Chinese cabbage is an important vegetable mainly planted in Asian countries, and mining the molecular mechanism responsible for purple coloration in Brassica crops is fast becoming a research hotspot. In particular, the anthocyanin accumulation characteristic of purple heading Chinese cabbage, along with the plant's growth and head developing, is still largely unknown. To elucidate the dynamic anthocyanin biosynthesis mechanism of Chinese cabbage during its development processes, here we investigated the expression profiles of 86 anthocyanin biosynthesis genes and corresponding anthocyanin accumulation characteristics of plants as they grew and their heads developed, between purple heading Chinese cabbage 11S91 and its breeding parents. Anthocyanin accumulation of 11S91 increased from the early head formation period onward, whereas the purple trait donor 95T2-5 constantly accumulated anthocyanin throughout its whole plant development. Increasing expression levels of BrMYB2 and BrTT8 together with the downregulation of BrMYBL2.1, BrMYBL2.2, and BrLBD39.1 occurred in both 11S91 and 95T2-5 plants during their growth, accompanied by the significantly continuous upregulation of a phenylpropanoid metabolic gene, BrPAL3.1; a series of early biosynthesis genes, such as BrCHSs, BrCHIs, BrF3Hs, and BrF3'H; as well as some key late biosynthesis genes, such as BrDFR1, BrANS1, BrUF3GT2, BrUF5GT, Br5MAT, and Brp-Cout; in addition to the transport genes BrGST1 and BrGST2. Dynamic expression profiles of these upregulated genes correlated well with the total anthocyanin contents during the processes of plant growth and leaf head development, and results supported by similar evidence for structural genes were also found in the BrMYB2 transgenic Arabidopsis. After intersubspecific hybridization breeding, the purple interior heading leaves of 11S91 inherited the partial purple phenotypes from 95T2-5 while the phenotypes of seedlings and heads were mainly acquired from white 94S17; comparatively in expression patterns of investigated anthocyanin biosynthesis genes, cotyledons of 11S91 might inherit the majority of genetic information from the white type parent, whereas the growth seedlings and developing heading tissues of 11S91 featured expression patterns of these genes more similar to 95T2-5. This comprehensive set of results provides new evidence for a better understanding of the anthocyanin biosynthesis mechanism and future breeding of new purple Brassica vegetables.

MaCDSP32 From Mulberry Enhances Resilience Post-drought by Regulating Antioxidant Activity and the Osmotic Content in Transgenic Tobacco

Desiccation tolerance is a complex phenomenon that depends on the regulated expression of numerous genes during dehydration and subsequent rehydration. Our previous study identified a chloroplast drought-induced stress protein (MaCDSP32) in mulberry, a thioredoxin (Trx) that is upregulated under drought conditions and is likely to confer drought tolerance to transgenic plants. Mulberry (Morus spp.) is an ecologically and economically important perennial woody plant that is widely used in forest management to combat desertification. However, its stress tolerance physiology is not well understood. In this study, the functions of MaCDSP32 gene were investigated. The expression of MaCDSP32 exhibited a circadian rhythm and was induced by mild and severe water deficits. Under abiotic stress, MaCDSP32-overexpressing plants exhibited increased stress sensitivity with lower water retention capacity and more severe lipid peroxidation than the wild-type (WT) plants. Furthermore, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), the contents of proline and soluble sugars and the expression of stress-related transcription factors were lower in the MaCDSP32-overexpressing plants than in the WT plants. However, the MaCDSP32-overexpressing lines exhibited stronger recovery capability after rewatering post-drought. Moreover, the SOD enzyme activity, proline content, and soluble sugar content were higher in the transgenic plants after rewatering than in the WT plants. The production of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) H₂O₂ and O₂ ^- was significantly lower in the transgenic plants than in the WT plants. In addition, under abiotic stress, the MaCDSP32-overexpressing lines exhibited improved seed germination and seedling growth, these effects were regulated by a positive redox reaction involving MaCDSP32 and one of its targets. In summary, this study indicated that MaCDSP32 from mulberry regulates plant drought tolerance and ROS homeostasis mainly by controlling SOD enzyme activity and proline and soluble sugar concentrations and that this control might trigger the stress response during seed germination and plant growth. Overall, MaCDSP32 exerts pleiotropic effects on the stress response and stress recovery in plants.

Genome-Wide Analysis of the Shi-Related Sequence Family and Functional Identification of GmSRS18 Involving in Drought and Salt Stresses in Soybean

The plant-special SHI-RELATED SEQUENCE (SRS) family plays vital roles in various biological processes. However, the genome-wide analysis and abiotic stress-related functions of this family were less reported in soybean. In this work, 21 members of soybean SRS family were identified, which were divided into three groups (Group I, II, and III). The chromosome location and gene structure were analyzed, which indicated that the members in the same group may have similar functions. The analysis of stress-related cis-elements showed that the SRS family may be involved in abiotic stress signaling pathway. The analysis of expression patterns in various tissues demonstrated that SRS family may play crucial roles in special tissue-dependent regulatory networks. The data based on soybean RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR) proved that SRS genes were induced by drought, NaCl, and exogenous abscisic acid (ABA). GmSRS18 significantly induced by drought and NaCl was selected for further functional verification. GmSRS18, encoding a cell nuclear protein, could negatively regulate drought and salt resistance in transgenic Arabidopsis. It can affect stress-related physiological index, including chlorophyll, proline, and relative electrolyte leakage. Additionally, it inhibited the expression levels of stress-related marker genes. Taken together, these results provide valuable information for understanding the classification of soybean SRS transcription factors and indicates that SRS plays important roles in abiotic stress responses.