Abstract
Imparting tolerance to abiotic stresses is of global importance as they inflict significant yield losses in field as well as in vegetable crops. Transcriptional activators, including helicases are identified to play a pivotal role in stress mitigation. Helicases, also known as molecular motors, are involved in myriad cellular processes that impart intrinsic tolerance to abiotic stresses in plants. Our study demonstrates the potential of a Pea DNA Helicase 45 (PDH45), in combating multiple abiotic stresses in chili. We harnessed Agrobacterium-mediated in planta transformation strategy for the generation of stable, single copy transgenic events. Precise molecular detection of the transgenes by sqRT-PCR coupled with genomic Southern analysis revealed variation in the integration of PDH45 at distinct loci in independent transgenic events. Characterization of five promising transgenic events showed both improved response to an array of simulated abiotic stresses and enhanced expression of several stress-responsive genes. While survival and recovery of transgenic events were significantly higher under gradual moisture stress conditions, under imposition of moderate stress, the transgenic events exhibited invigorated growth and productivity with concomitant improvement in water use efficiency (WUE). Thus, our study, unequivocally demonstrated the cardinal role of PDH45 in alleviating multiple abiotic stresses in chili.
Highlights
Dissection of genetic architecture of abiotic stress tolerance has revealed it to be a complex polygenic trait[4]
Among the array of genes deployed for abiotic stress tolerance, “Helicases” have been elucidated as major and effective players in alleviating multiple abiotic stresses[10]
The expression of one of the potential stress responsive helicases, pea DNA helicase 45 (PDH45) is induced by salinity, dehydration, wounding and low temperature, suggesting it to be a general factor involved in abiotic stress adaptation[22]
Summary
Dissection of genetic architecture of abiotic stress tolerance has revealed it to be a complex polygenic trait[4]. Recent opinions on drought adaptation strategies have emphasized the identification of specific traits associated with water mining, water use efficiency (WUE), and water conservation traits While these traits are constitutive and integral, several cellular level tolerance (CLT) mechanisms have been identified as acquired tolerance traits[5]. There has been increasing research efforts to identify the genes, which modulate the processes of CLT These mechanisms involve scavenging reactive oxygen species, osmotic homeostasis[7], membrane/protein stability and maintenance of protein turnover[8]. We demonstrate the wide functionality of a DNA helicase in transgenic chili under multiple abiotic stress conditions and exemplify the applicability of a tissue culture-independent apical meristem-targeted in planta transformation strategy for chili improvement
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