Open AccessOverexpression of OsTF1L, a rice HD‐Zip transcription factor, promotes lignin biosynthesis and stomatal closure that improves drought tolerance
Author(s) -
Bang Seung Woon,
Lee DongKeun,
Jung Harin,
Chung Pil Joong,
Kim Youn Shic,
Choi Yang Do,
Suh JooWon,
Kim JuKon
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
plant biotechnology journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.525
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1467-7652
pISSN - 1467-7644
DOI - 10.1111/pbi.12951
Subject(s) - drought tolerance , biology , oryza sativa , transcription factor , shoot , lignin , photosynthesis , botany , gene , promoter , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , gene expression
Summary Drought stress seriously impacts on plant development and productivity. Improvement of drought tolerance without yield penalty is a great challenge in crop biotechnology. Here, we report that the rice ( Oryza sativa ) homeodomain‐leucine zipper transcription factor gene, Os TF 1L ( Oryza sativa transcription factor 1‐like ), is a key regulator of drought tolerance mechanisms. Overexpression of the Os TF 1L in rice significantly increased drought tolerance at the vegetative stages of growth and promoted both effective photosynthesis and a reduction in the water loss rate under drought conditions. Importantly, the Os TF 1L overexpressing plants showed a higher drought tolerance at the reproductive stage of growth with a higher grain yield than nontransgenic controls under field‐drought conditions. Genomewide analysis of Os TF 1L overexpression plants revealed up‐regulation of drought‐inducible, stomatal movement and lignin biosynthetic genes. Overexpression of Os TF 1L promoted accumulation of lignin in shoots, whereas the RNA i lines showed opposite patterns of lignin accumulation. Os TF 1L is mainly expressed in outer cell layers including the epidermis, and the vasculature of the shoots, which coincides with areas of lignification. In addition, Os TF 1L overexpression enhances stomatal closure under drought conditions resulted in drought tolerance. More importantly, Os TF 1L directly bound to the promoters of lignin biosynthesis and drought‐related genes involving poxN/ PRX 38 , Nodulin protein , DHHC 4 , CASPL 5B1 and AAA ‐type ATP ase . Collectively, our results provide a new insight into the role of Os TF 1L in enhancing drought tolerance through lignin biosynthesis and stomatal closure in rice.