Heterologous expression of Arabidopsis C-repeat binding factor 3 (AtCBF3) and cold-regulated 15A (AtCOR15A) enhanced chilling tolerance in transgenic eggplant (Solanum melongena L.)

Abstract

Our study shows that the expression of AtCBF3 and AtCOR15A improved the chilling tolerance in transgenic eggplant. In an attempt to improve chilling tolerance of eggplant (Solanum melongena L) plants, Arabidopsis C-repeat binding factor 3 (AtCBF3) and cold-regulated 15A (AtCOR15A) genes both driven by an Arabidopsis RESPONSIVE TO DESSICATION 29A promoter (AtRD29A) were transferred into the plants of eggplant cultivar Sanyueqie. Two independent homozygous transgenic lines were tested for their cold tolerance. The leaves of the transgenic plants in both lines withered much slower and slighter than the wild-type plants after exposure to cold stress treatment at 2 ± 1 °C. The gene expression of AtCBF3 and AtCOR15A was significantly increased as well as the proline content and the levels of catalase and peroxidase activities, while the relative electrical conductivity and the malondialdehyde content were remarkably decreased in the transgenic plants compared with the wild type at 4 ± 0.5 °C. The results showed that the expression of the exogenous AtCBF3 and AtCOR15A could promote the cold adaptation process to protect eggplant plants from chilling stress.

An eggplant SmICE1a gene encoding MYC‐type ICE1‐like transcription factor enhances freezing tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana

“…A previous study indicated that heterologous expression of Arabidopsis CBF3 and COR15A enhanced chilling tolerance in transgenic eggplant (Wan et al . ). In this study, overexpression of SmICE1a in transgenic Arabidopsis results in activation of cold‐responsive genes and an increase in freezing tolerance.…”

“…Overexpression of AtCBF3 or AtCBF1 enhanced cold tolerance in transgenic eggplant (Wan et al . ), potato (Pino et al . ) and petunia (Walworth et al .…”

“…Heterologous expression of the Arabidopsis AtCBF3 gene also improved cold tolerance in transgenic eggplant (Wan et al . ).…”

“…Eggplant is generally sensitive to low temperatures in early spring, which appreciably affect its productivity (Wan et al . ). Thus, improvement of cold tolerance may increase the production and economic benefit of eggplant.…”

The Overexpression of a Transcription Factor Gene VbWRKY32 Enhances the Cold Tolerance in Verbena bonariensis

“…Massive studies had revealed that expression of COR genes was positively related to cold tolerance in plants (Liang et al, 2011;Wathugala et al, 2011;Wan et al, 2014). The Cor413 family were divided into Cor413-inner membrane (Cor413im) and Cor413-plasma membrane (Cor413pm) proteins (Ghislain et al, 2003).…”