1
|
Zhang P, Wang R, Yang X, Ju Q, Li W, Lü S, Tran LSP, Xu J. The R2R3-MYB transcription factor AtMYB49 modulates salt tolerance in Arabidopsis by modulating the cuticle formation and antioxidant defence. Plant Cell Environ 2020; 43:1925-1943. [PMID: 32406163 DOI: 10.1111/pce.13784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Salt stress activates defence responses in plants, including changes in leaf surface structure. Here, we showed that the transcriptional activation of cutin deposition and antioxidant defence by the R2R3-type MYB transcription factor AtMYB49 contributed to salt tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana. Characterization of loss-of-function myb49 mutants, and chimeric AtMYB49-SRDX-overexpressing SRDX49 transcriptional repressor and AtMYB49-overexpressing (OX49) overexpressor plants demonstrated a positive role of AtMYB49 in salt tolerance. Transcriptome analysis revealed that many genes belonging to the category "cutin, suberin and wax biosyntheses" were markedly up-regulated and down-regulated in OX49 and SRDX49 plants, respectively, under normal and/or salt stress conditions. Some of these differentially expressed genes, including MYB41, ASFT, FACT and CYP86B1, were also shown to be the direct targets of AtMYB49 and activated by AtMYB49. Biochemical analysis indicated that AtMYB49 modulated cutin deposition in the leaves. Importantly, cuticular transpiration, chlorophyll leaching and toluidine blue-staining assays revealed a link between increased AtMYB49-mediated cutin deposition in leaves and enhanced salt tolerance. Additionally, increased AtMYB49 expression elevated Ca2+ level in leaves and improved antioxidant capacity by up-regulating genes encoding peroxidases and late embryogenesis abundant proteins. These results suggest that genetic manipulation of AtMYB49 may provide a novel way to improve salt tolerance in plants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ping Zhang
- College of Horticulture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, China
| | - Ruling Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, China
| | - Xianpeng Yang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Stress, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Qiong Ju
- College of Horticulture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, China
| | - Weiqiang Li
- Institute of Plant Stress Biology, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Department of Biology, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Shiyou Lü
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
| | - Lam-Son Phan Tran
- Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, Vietnam
- Stress Adaptation Research Unit, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Tsurumi, Japan
| | - Jin Xu
- College of Horticulture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, China
- GanSu Key Laboratory for Utilization of Agricultural Solid Waste Resources, College of Bioengineering and Biotechnology, TianShui Normal University, TianShui, China
| |
Collapse
|