Abstract
Ipomoea pes-caprae is a seashore halophytic plant and is therefore a good model for studying the molecular mechanisms underlying salt and stress tolerance in plant research. Here, we performed Full-length cDNA Over-eXpressor (FOX) gene hunting with a functional screening of a cDNA library using a salt-sensitive yeast mutant strain to isolate the salt-stress-related genes of I. pes-caprae (IpSR genes). The library was screened for genes that complemented the salt defect of yeast mutant AXT3 and could grow in the presence of 75 mM NaCl. We obtained 38 candidate salt-stress-related full-length cDNA clones from the I. pes-caprae cDNA library. The genes are predicted to encode proteins involved in water deficit, reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging, cellular vesicle trafficking, metabolic enzymes, and signal transduction factors. When combined with the quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analyses, several potential functional salt-tolerance-related genes were emphasized. This approach provides a rapid assay system for the large-scale screening of I. pes-caprae genes involved in the salt stress response and supports the identification of genes responsible for the molecular mechanisms of salt tolerance.
Highlights
Plants are continuously challenged by multiple stresses in nature and are subjected to the evolutionary pressures imposed by natural selection
The Na+ content in the vines appeared to be lower than in the leaves or underground portion, if we consider the great biomass contribution from the vines, we can conclude that the aerial part of I. pes-caprae contained the bulk of the Na+ absorbed by the roots from the seawater
To characterize the genes involved in the salt stress response in I. pes-caprae, we screened the cDNA library of I. pes-caprae with the salt-sensitive yeast mutant AXT3, in which three Na+ transporter genes were functionally deleted
Summary
Plants are continuously challenged by multiple stresses in nature and are subjected to the evolutionary pressures imposed by natural selection. The mechanisms of salinity tolerance in plants have been classified into three types—ion exclusion, osmotic tolerance, and tissue tolerance [3]—or been summarized as osmotic stress and ionic stress [4]. Based on the adaptability of plants to high salinity, most plants are classified into two categories: glycophytes and halophytes. Halophytes are defined as plants which can naturally survive in a saline environment and even prefer it [6]. Some halophytes that flourish in high-salinity conditions are termed as extremophiles [7]. In the course of evolution, halophytes or extremophiles have developed various adaptive mechanisms responding to salinity to ensure their survival and alternation of generations [8]. Research into halophyte stress-tolerance-related genes would improve the understanding of the adaptation of plants to environmental stress and provide a good foundation for formulating effective measures to modify the tolerance of crops to external stresses [1]
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