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Overexpression of the rice Osmyb4 gene increases chilling and freezing tolerance of Arabidopsis thaliana plants
Author(s) -
Vannini Candida,
Locatelli Franca,
Bracale Marcella,
Magnani Enrico,
Marsoni Milena,
Osnato Michela,
Mattana Monica,
Baldoni Elena,
Coraggio Immacolata
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
the plant journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.058
H-Index - 269
eISSN - 1365-313X
pISSN - 0960-7412
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-313x.2003.01938.x
Subject(s) - arabidopsis thaliana , coleoptile , oryza sativa , biology , transgene , arabidopsis , genetically modified crops , gene expression , genetically modified rice , microbiology and biotechnology , ecotype , gene , photosystem ii , botany , mutant , genetics , photosynthesis
Summary The expression of the gene Osmyb4 , detected at low level in rice ( Oryza sativa ) coleoptiles grown for 3 days at 29°C, is strongly induced by treatments at 4°C. At sublethal temperatures of 10 and 15°C, its expression in rice seedlings is already evident, but this effect cannot be vicariated by other stresses or ABA treatment. We demonstrate by transient expression that Myb4 transactivates the PAL2, ScD9 SAD and COR15a cold‐inducible promoters. The Osmyb4 function in vivo is demonstrated overexpressing its cDNA in Arabidopsis thaliana plants (ecotype Wassilewskija) under the control of the constitutive CaMV 35S promoter. Myb4 overexpressing plants show a significant increased cold and freezing tolerance, measured as membrane or Photosystem II (PSII) stability and as whole plant tolerance. Finally, in Osmyb4 transgenic plants, the expression of genes participating in different cold‐induced pathways is affected, suggesting that Myb4 represents a master switch in cold tolerance.