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Overexpression of rice serotonin N ‐acetyltransferase 1 in transgenic rice plants confers resistance to cadmium and senescence and increases grain yield
Author(s) -
Lee Kyungjin,
Back Kyoungwhan
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of pineal research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.881
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1600-079X
pISSN - 0742-3098
DOI - 10.1111/jpi.12392
Subject(s) - genetically modified rice , biology , oryza sativa , transgene , genetically modified crops , ectopic expression , botany , gene , biochemistry
While ectopic overexpression of serotonin N ‐acetyltransferase ( SNAT ) in plants has been accomplished using animal SNAT genes, ectopic overexpression of plant SNAT genes in plants has not been investigated. Because the plant SNAT protein differs from that of animals in its subcellular localization and enzyme kinetics, its ectopic overexpression in plants would be expected to give outcomes distinct from those observed from overexpression of animal SNAT genes in transgenic plants. Consistent with our expectations, we found that transgenic rice plants overexpressing rice ( Oryza sativa ) SNAT 1 ( Os SNAT 1 ) did not show enhanced seedling growth like that observed in ovine SNAT ‐overexpressing transgenic rice plants, although both types of plants exhibited increased melatonin levels. Os SNAT 1 ‐overexpressing rice plants did show significant resistance to cadmium and senescence stresses relative to wild‐type controls. In contrast to tomato, melatonin synthesis in rice seedlings was not induced by selenium and Os SNAT 1 transgenic rice plants did not show tolerance to selenium. T 2 homozygous Os SNAT 1 transgenic rice plants exhibited increased grain yield due to increased panicle number per plant under paddy field conditions. These benefits conferred by ectopic overexpression of Os SNAT 1 had not been observed in transgenic rice plants overexpressing ovine SNAT , suggesting that plant SNAT functions differently from animal SNAT in plants.