Cloning of a 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase gene (SgNCED1) from Stylosanthes guianensis and its expression in response to abiotic stresses

Abscisic acid (ABA) regulates plant adaptive responses to various environmental stresses. Oxidative cleavage of cis-epoxycarotenoids catalyzed by 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED) is the main regulatory step in the biosynthesis of ABA in higher plants. A NCED gene, SgNCED1, was cloned from the dehydrated leaves of Stylosanthes guianensis. The 2,241-bp full-length SgNCED1 had a 1,809-bp ORF, which encodes a peptide of 602 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence of SgNCED1 protein shared high identity with other NCEDs. At the N-terminus of the SgNCED1 located a chloroplast transit peptide sequence. DNA blot analysis revealed that SgNCED1 was a single copy gene in the genome of S. guianensis. The relationship between expression of SgNCED1 and endogenous ABA level was investigated. The expression of SgNCED1 was induced in both leaves and roots of S. guianensis under drought stress. Dehydration and salt stress induced the expression of SgNCED1 strongly and rapidly. The ABA accumulation was coincidently induced with the SgNCED1 mRNA under drought, dehydration and salt stress. The expression of SgNCED1 and ABA accumulation were also induced under chilling condition.