Abstract
Rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis) were successfully introduced to south China in the 1950s on a large-scale; however, due to the climate, are prone to cold injury during the winter season. Increased cold tolerance is therefore an important goal, yet the mechanism underlying rubber tree responses to cold stress remains unclear. This study carried out functional characterization of HbICE1 (Inducer of CBF Expression 1) from H. brasiliensis. A nucleic protein with typical features of ICEs, HbICE1 was able to bind to MYC recognition sites and had strong transactivation activity. HbICE1 was constitutively expressed in all tested tissues, with highest levels in the bark, and was up-regulated when subjected to various stresses including cold, dehydration, salinity and wounding. When overexpressed in Arabidopsis, 35S::HbICE1 plants showed enhanced cold resistance with increased proline content, reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) metabolism and electrolyte leakage, and decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. Expression of the cold responsive genes (COR15A, COR47, RD29A, and KIN1) was also significantly promoted in 35S::HbICE1 compared to wild-type plants under cold stress. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) analysis showed that cold treatment changed genes expression profiles involved in many biological processes and phytohormones perception and transduction. Ethylene, JA, ABA, as well as ICE-CBF signaling pathways might work synergistically to cope with cold tolerance in rubber tree. Taken together, these findings suggest that HbICE1 is a member of the ICE gene family and a positive regulator of cold tolerance in H. brasiliensis.
Highlights
Cold stress is one of the most devastating environmental factors adversely affecting plant growth and development, significantly constraining geographic distribution and agricultural productivity
Plant Inducer of C-repeat-binding factors (CBFs) Expression 1 (ICE1)-like genes play a critical role in cold tolerance in a number of different plants; the ICE1 gene has yet to be identified in H. brasiliensis
To clone the H. brasiliensis ICE1 (HbICE1) gene from H. brasiliensis, the A. thaliana ICE1 protein sequence was used as a query sequence in a blast search against the Hevea EST and nucleotide database
Summary
Cold stress is one of the most devastating environmental factors adversely affecting plant growth and development, significantly constraining geographic distribution and agricultural productivity. With its high rate of production and superior rubber quality, is the sole commercial source of natural rubber. A perennial tropical tree species originating from the Amazonian forests of Brazil, rubber trees were traditionally planted within a restricted region between 15◦ north and 15◦ south latitudes. Though rubber trees were successfully introduced to south China in the 1950s. Havea brasiliensis HBICE1 Enhances Cold Tolerance on a large-scale, they are prone to cold injury during the winter season. Cold stress affects rubber production, and threatens the survival of rubber trees in China. Increased cold tolerance is a major aim of rubber tree breeding programs
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