No abstract

Trehalose, which plays important roles in resistance to abiotic stresses and preservation of biological activity in plants, is synthesized by two key enzymes, trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS) and trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase (TPP). Therefore, the expressions of the TPS and TPP genes directly affect trehalose synthesis and stress resistance of plants.In this study, CkTPS and CkTPP from Caragana korshinskii were identified, and the role of trehalose synthesis in the adaptation of this desert plant to adverse conditions was investigated. Higher CkTPS and CkTPP expressions were observed in the roots, whereas expressions were much lower in leaves and stems, and their expressions were upregulated under drought stress. Histochemical analyses showed that β-glucuronidase expression driven by the CkTPS and CkTPP promoters was strongly induced by abiotic stresses and phytohormones, such as abscisic acid, gibberellin, methyl jasmonate, and mannitol, which suggests that trehalose synthesis may be regulated by various signaling pathways. To determine the functional mechanism underlying the role of trehalose synthesis in regulating drought response in plants, CkTPS and CkTPP were introduced into Arabidopsis. Compared to wild-type (WT) plants, these transgenic plants showed higher germination rate, survival, less damage, better shoot growth, and longer roots under drought stress. Moreover, transgenic plants had a significantly higher content of proline, chlorophyll, trehalose, and activities of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT), and lower malondialdehyde (MDA) content than WT controls. Double-transgenic plants carrying CkTPS and CkTPP showed better growth and stronger drought tolerance than either single transgenic plant line. These results provide a theoretical and experimental basis for further understanding the function and regulatory mechanism of CkTPS and CkTPP, as well as the possibility of their application for improving drought tolerance in crops through genetic engineering.

Poplar is an important tree species for ecological protection, wood production, landscaping and urban greening; it has been widely planted worldwide. However, the catkin fibers produced by female poplars can cause environmental pollution, human health risks and safety hazards during spring. This study focused on Populus tomentosa Carr., and reveals the sucrose metabolism regulatory mechanism of catkin fibers development from morphological, physiological and molecular aspects. And two key genes were selected to demonstrate the exact role. Sucrose degradation plays the dominant role during poplar catkin fibers development. Thereinto, invertase has a function during the early stage and sucrose synthase has a close correlation with the elongation of catkin fibers. The expression patterns revealed that sucrose metabolism-related and cellulose synthase (CesA) genes play important roles during catkin fiber development. Expression profiles and co-expression networks indicated that the mechanism underlying poplar catkin fiber development is similar, but not identical, to that of cotton fibers. Finally, two key genes, sucrose synthase 2 (PtoSUS2) and vacuolar invertase 3 (PtoVIN3), had roles in Arabidopsis thaliana trichome density, indicating that sucrose metabolism is important in poplar catkin fibers development. This study is not only helpful for clarifying the mechanism of sucrose regulation during trichome development in perennial woody plants, but also establishes a foundation to solve poplar catkin fiber pollution through biotechnology and genetic engineering methods.