Abstract
Aquaporins are a specific type of membrane channel proteins that efficiently transport water molecules and other small molecular substrates in plants. In this study, we isolated the plasma membrane aquaporin gene EuPIP1;2 from Eucommia ulmoides, an important medicinal plant in China. The EuPIP1;2 protein was localized on the plasma membrane. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that EuPIP1;2 was constitutively expressed in all analyzed tissues, with the highest expression levels detected in the fruit and root. Overexpression of EuPIP1;2 in transgenic tobacco enhanced plant tolerance of drought and salinity. Under drought and salt stress, the transgenic lines exhibited higher percentage germination, longer roots, and enhanced percentage survival compared with wild-type plants. The contents of malonaldehyde and proline suggested that EuPIP1;2 improved drought and salt tolerance in transgenic lines by reducing damage to membranes and improving osmotic adjustment. We predict that EuPIP1;2 could be applied to improve drought and salt tolerance in transgenic plants.
Highlights
Water is essential for plant growth and development, and water deficit can limit plant growth and even cause plant death due to water imbalance [1]
AQPs are membrane-localized proteins classified within the major intrinsic protein (MIP) superfamily [4]
Since the isolation of the first member of the plant tonoplast intrinsic protein (TIP) subfamily from Arabidopsis thaliana, AQPs have been identified in Arabidopsis thaliana [5], Zea mays [6], Oryza sativa [7], Glycine max [8], Solanum lycopersicum [9], Gossypium hirsutum [10], and Brassica rapa [11]
Summary
Water is essential for plant growth and development, and water deficit can limit plant growth and even cause plant death due to water imbalance [1]. To adapt to environmental stresses, plants often activate specific physiological and biochemical mechanisms, such as the formation of various proteins to resist damage caused by water shortage [2]. Aquaporins (AQPs) are a specific type of membrane channel protein that efficiently transports water molecules and other small molecular substrates in plants [3]. Since the isolation of the first member of the plant tonoplast intrinsic protein (TIP) subfamily from Arabidopsis thaliana, AQPs have been identified in Arabidopsis thaliana [5], Zea mays [6], Oryza sativa [7], Glycine max [8], Solanum lycopersicum [9], Gossypium hirsutum [10], and Brassica rapa [11]. Based on phylogenetic and subcellular localization analyses, plant AQPs constitute five subfamilies: TIP, plasma membrane intrinsic proteins (PIP), NOD26-like intrinsic proteins (NIP), small and basic intrinsic proteins (SIP), and unidentified X intrinsic proteins (XIP) [4,12]
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