Modulation of the polyamine biosynthetic pathway in transgenic rice confers tolerance to drought stress

AUTOR(ES)

Capell, Teresa

FONTE

National Academy of Sciences

RESUMO

We have generated transgenic rice plants expressing the Datura stramonium adc gene and investigated their response to drought stress. We monitored the steady-state mRNA levels of genes involved in polyamine biosynthesis (Datura adc, rice adc, and rice samdc) and polyamine levels. Wild-type plants responded to the onset of drought stress by increasing endogenous putrescine levels, but this was insufficient to trigger the conversion of putrescine into spermidine and spermine (the agents that are believed to protect plants under stress). In contrast, transgenic plants expressing Datura adc produced much higher levels of putrescine under stress, promoting spermidine and spermine synthesis and ultimately protecting the plants from drought. We demonstrate clearly that the manipulation of polyamine biosynthesis in plants can produce drought-tolerant germplasm, and we propose a model consistent with the role of polyamines in the protection of plants against abiotic stress.

Documentos Relacionados

• Overexpression of a zinc-finger protein gene from rice confers tolerance to cold, dehydration, and salt stress in transgenic tobacco
• Enhanced Accumulation of BiP in Transgenic Plants Confers Tolerance to Water Stress1
• Expression of a Late Embryogenesis Abundant Protein Gene, HVA1, from Barley Confers Tolerance to Water Deficit and Salt Stress in Transgenic Rice.
• Ammopiptanthus mongolicus stress-responsive NAC gene enhances the tolerance of transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana to drought and cold stresses
• Trehalose accumulation in rice plants confers high tolerance levels to different abiotic stresses