Salt and Drought Stress Tolerances in Transgenic Potatoes and Wild Species

Abstract

Transgenic potatoes were employed to test whether a diverse range of gene actions can induce different stress tolerance(s). To select available transgenic lines, we measured growth profiles under non-stress conditions in our evaluation of transgenic lines and confirmed productivity under stress(es). We performed microarray analyses to clarify the abiotic stress tolerance mechanism controlled by AtDREB1A. Two transgenic lines out of over 200 independent genotypes displayed stable tuber production under high salinity stress conditions. We identified five significant genes that were induced by abiotic stress with AtDREB1A in potato; the reported homologs in Arabidopsis are downstream of the AtDREB1A gene. Our results suggest that the AtDREB1A gene acts as a transcriptional factor against abiotic stresses in potato, and that potato may have mechanisms in abiotic stress tolerance(s) controlled by a native transcriptional factor similar to AtDREB1A. Besides uses of the exotic genes which can enhance abiotic stress tolerance, exploitation of the native genes in cultivated potatoes is also valuable for elucidating the basic knowledge and for orienting towards uses in crop improvement. Further challenges would be comparing the stress responses between cultivated potatoes and wild species in more detail, in order to examine (1) whether alternative tolerance mechanisms are possible, and (2) if so, whether effective germplasm enhancement could be carried out based on wild species to improve drought and salt stress tolerance of cultivated potato.

Drought effect on plant biomass allocation: A meta‐analysis

“…() found no consistent trend of drought tolerance among cultivated and wild plants, while Nevo and Chen () found a greater drought resistance in wild wheat and barley than cultivated counterparts. By contrast, some others suggested that drought tolerant‐targeted transgenetic cultivated plants had strong resistance to drought than even wild plants (Fita, Rodriguezburruezo, Boscaiu, Prohens, & Vicente, ; Seversike, ; ,b; Watanabe, Kikuchi, Shimazaki, & Asahina, ). Taken together, these comparisons suggested that drought tolerance of crops and wild plants may be species‐specific.…”

Improving Potato Stress Tolerance and Tuber Yield Under a Climate Change Scenario – A Current Overview

“…The ability of potato plants to tolerate drought stress is believed to be governed by upregulation DREB1A (Dehydrin responsive element binding protein) regulons (Schafleitner et al, 2007). To support this, Watanabe et al (2011) compared AtDREB1a transgenic potato with non-transgenic ones and observed increased drought tolerance in DREB1a transgenic lines. Transgenic potato plants overexpressing ScCBFI gene from Solanum commersonii exhibit increased drought tolerance as indicated by improved overall plant performance and extensive root development following drought stress (Pino et al, 2013).…”

Coping with drought: stress and adaptive responses in potato and perspectives for improvement

“…Studies show that the dehydrins interact with membranes in the interior of cells and reduce dehydration induced damage through their ability to replace water and, through their hydroxyl groups (Baker et al, 1995 ) and dehydrins are shown to play a fundamental role in plant response and adaptation to abiotic stress (Hanin et al, 2011 ). Comparing expression analysis in non-transgenic potato and AtDREB1A (Dehydrin responsive element binding protein) transgenic potato suggest that potato may have mechanisms in abiotic stress tolerance controlled by native TFs similar to AtDREB1A (Watanabe et al, 2011 ). The over expression of StMYB1R-1 (MYB-like transcription factor) improved plant tolerance to stress and it is thought that the induced upregulated expression of AtHB-7 (Arabidopsis homeobox gene), RD28 (Responsive to desiccation), ALDH (Aldehyde dehydrogenase), and ERD15 (Early response to dehydration) under drought stress conditions enhances tolerance (Shin et al, 2011 ).…”