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Overexpression of a TFIIIA‐type zinc finger protein gene ZFP252 enhances drought and salt tolerance in rice ( Oryza sativa L.)
Author(s) -
Xu Dong-Qing,
Huang Ji,
Guo Shu-Qiao,
Yang Xia,
Bao Yong-Mei,
Tang Hai-Juan,
Zhang Hong-Sheng
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/j.febslet.2008.02.052
Subject(s) - oryza sativa , zinc finger , genetically modified rice , transgene , gene , genetically modified crops , drought tolerance , proline , biology , salt (chemistry) , drought stress , zinc , botany , crop , horticulture , microbiology and biotechnology , agronomy , chemistry , biochemistry , transcription factor , organic chemistry , amino acid
We previously identified a salt and drought stress‐responsive TFIIIA‐type zinc finger protein gene ZFP252 from rice. Here we report the functional analysis of ZFP252 using gain‐ and loss‐of‐function strategies. We found that overexpression of ZFP252 in rice increased the amount of free proline and soluble sugars, elevated the expression of stress defense genes and enhanced rice tolerance to salt and drought stresses, as compared with ZFP252 antisense and non‐transgenic plants. Our findings suggest that ZFP252 plays an important role in rice response to salt and drought stresses and is useful in engineering crop plants with enhanced tolerance to salt and drought stresses.