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Soybean DREB 1/ CBF ‐type transcription factors function in heat and drought as well as cold stress‐responsive gene expression
Author(s) -
Kidokoro Satoshi,
Watanabe Keitaro,
Ohori Teppei,
Moriwaki Takashi,
Maruyama Kyonoshin,
Mizoi Junya,
Myint Phyu Sin Htwe Nang,
Fujita Yasunari,
Sekita Sachiko,
Shinozaki Kazuo,
YamaguchiShinozaki Kazuko
Publication year - 2015
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 - 10.1111/tpj.12746
Subject(s) - arabidopsis , gene , abiotic stress , biology , gene expression , transcription factor , promoter , genetics , transcriptome , regulation of gene expression , transcription (linguistics) , microbiology and biotechnology , mutant , linguistics , philosophy
Summary Soybean ( Glycine max ) is a globally important crop, and its growth and yield are severely reduced by abiotic stresses, such as drought, heat, and cold. The cis ‐acting element DRE (dehydration‐responsive element)/ CRT plays an important role in activating gene expression in response to these stresses. The Arabidopsis DREB 1/ CBF genes that encode DRE ‐binding proteins function as transcriptional activators in the cold stress responsive gene expression. In this study, we identified 14 DREB 1‐type transcription factors (Gm DREB 1s) from a soybean genome database. The expression of most Gm DREB 1 genes in soybean was strongly induced by a variety of abiotic stresses, such as cold, drought, high salt, and heat. The Gm DREB 1 proteins activated transcription via DRE s (dehydration‐responsive element) in Arabidopsis and soybean protoplasts. Transcriptome analyses using transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing Gm DREB 1s indicated that many of the downstream genes are cold‐inducible and overlap with those of Arabidopsis DREB 1A. We then comprehensively analyzed the downstream genes of Gm DREB 1B;1, which is closely related to DREB 1A, using a transient expression system in soybean protoplasts. The expression of numerous genes induced by various abiotic stresses were increased by overexpressing Gm DREB 1B;1 in soybean, and DRE s were the most conserved element in the promoters of these genes. The downstream genes of Gm DREB 1B;1 included numerous soybean‐specific stress‐inducible genes that encode an ABA receptor family protein, Gm PYL 21, and translation‐related genes, such as ribosomal proteins. We confirmed that Gm DREB 1B;1 directly activates Gm PYL 21 expression and enhances ABRE ‐mediated gene expression in an ABA ‐independent manner. These results suggest that Gm DREB 1 proteins activate the expression of numerous soybean‐specific stress‐responsive genes under diverse abiotic stress conditions.