Regulatory Network of Transcription Factors in Response to Drought in Arabidopsis and Crops

Drought is one of the most important environmental constraints limiting plant growth, development and crop yield. Many drought-inducible genes have been identified by molecular and genomic analyses in Arabidopsis, rice and other crops. To better understand reaction mechanism of plant to drought tolerance, we mainly focused on introducing the research of transcription factors （TFs） in signal transduction and regulatory network of gene expression conferring drought. A TF could bind multiple target genes to increase one or more kinds of stress tolerance. Sometimes, several TFs might act together with a target gene. So drought-tolerance genes or TFs might respond to high-salinity, cold or other stresses. The crosstalk of multiple stresses signal pathways is a crucial aspect of understanding stress signaling.

小麦转录因子基因TaNF-YB2;1表达特征及遗传转化对植株抵御干旱和盐分逆境能力的影响

NF-YB型转录因子在介导植物抵御非生物逆境中发挥着重要作用。为揭示小麦该家族成员Ta NF-YB2;1在干旱和盐分逆境下的表达特征及超表达Ta NF-YB2;1对植株抵御上述逆境能力的影响。利用半定量RT-PCR技术,研究Ta NF-YB2;1的表达特征,采用农杆菌介导的遗传转化技术,建立了超表达Ta NF-YB2;1的转基因烟草植株。结果表明,Ta NF-YB2;1 c DNA全长序列为958 bp,编码163个氨基酸残基。在24 h PEG模拟干旱和盐分处理条件下,Ta NF-YB2;1的转录本数量明显上调。正常培养下,与野生型植株相比,转基因植株的生长和干物质积累量未发生改变;但在干旱和盐分处理下,转基因株系植株的生长较野生型植株明显改善,表现为植株个体体积增大,单株干物质积累量增多。因此,Ta NF-YB2;1的表达受到干旱和盐分逆境的明显诱导,通过对干旱和盐分逆境应答,该基因在介导植株抵御上述环境逆境中发挥着重要功能。