Heterologous expression of P5CS gene in chickpea enhances salt tolerance without affecting yield

Abstract

Vigna Δ 1 -pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (P5CS) cDNA was transferred to chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) cultivar Annigeri via Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation. Following selection on hygromycin and regeneration, 60 hygromycin-resistant plants were recovered. Southern blot analysis of five fertile independent lines of T0 and T1 generation revealed single and multiple insertions of the transgene. RT-PCR and Western blot analysis of T0 and T1 progeny demonstrated that the P5CS gene is expressed and produced functional protein in chickpea. T1 transgenic lines accumulated higher amount of proline under 250 mM NaCl compared to untransformed controls. Higher accumulation of Na + was noticed in the older leaves but negligible accumulation in seeds of T1 transgenic lines as compared to the controls. Chlorophyll stability and electrolyte leakage indicated that proline overproduction helps in alleviating salt stress in transgenic chickpea plants. The T1 transgenics lines were grown to maturity and set normal viable seeds under continuous salinity stress (250 mM) without any reduction in plant yield in terms of seed mass.

Overexpression of the Lolium perenne L. delta1-pyrroline 5-carboxylate synthase (LpP5CS) gene results in morphological alterations and salinity tolerance in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.)

“…Transgenic chickpea overexpressing P5CSF129A had increased proline accumulation, and root biomass of transgenic plants increased under both salt and drought stress conditions. The authors speculated that proline may play an indirect role in increasing root biomass in the transgenic plants under stress conditions [56]. Additionally, a study shows that increases in chlorophyll and carotenoid levels increase salt tolerance and biomass in transgenic sweetpotato [57].…”

Identification of Salt Tolerance-related microRNAs and Their Targets in Maize (Zea mays L.) Using High-throughput Sequencing and Degradome Analysis

“…Recently, a study showed that the expression of P5CS transgene resulted in the overproduction of the P5CS enzyme in transgenic chickpea plants and an increase in proline accumulation. The accumulation of osmoprotectants may increase tolerance to osmotic stress and sodium toxicity (Ghanti et al, 2011). Overexpression of P5CS also increased stress tolerance of transgenic potato, rice, wheat, sweet sorghum, and sugarcane (Anoop and Gupta, 2003; Su and Wu, 2004; Hmida-Sayari et al, 2005; Vendruscolo et al, 2007; Su et al, 2011; Guerzoni et al, 2014).…”

Characterization of LhSorP5CS, a gene catalyzing proline synthesis in Oriental hybrid lily Sorbonne: molecular modelling and expression analysis

“…Increased proline production and enhanced tolerance to multiple stresses have been reported in several transgenic plants, including potato ( Solanum tuberosum ) (Hmida-Sayari et al 2005), Arabidopsis (Chen et al 2013), chickpea ( Cicer arietinum ) (Ghanti et al 2011), and wheat ( Triticum aestivum ) (Vendruscolo et al 2007). The LhSorP5CS gene that we cloned in the present study is therefore also a candidate gene for future transgenic research in lily.…”