Abstract
Climate changes this century due to global warming compel a greater understanding of molecular mechanisms for plant resistance to drought conditions. Plants undergo changes in their anatomy, morphology, mechanical properties and also in their gene expression in response to environmental stress. Using reverse genetics, anatomy and molecular biology approaches, the role of a 14-3-3 protein isoform in the presence of simulated drought conditions in the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana was investigated. The14-3-3 proteins serve the function of signal transduction in eukaryotes and their role in several abiotic and biotic stress conditions have been previously reported. In this study we used 12 isoforms of 14-3-3 that are expressed and well characterized in A. thaliana to determine which isoform of 14-3-3 contributed to drought stress resistance. A phenotypic assay for drought was conducted by growing all the mutants of the isoforms in media with Abscisic acid (ABA). The 14-3-3 lambda (Lambda) mutants showed deficiency in lateral root growth. Further investigations revealed significant differences in ion leakage, absolute water content, water potential and tensile strength in mutants deficient in 14-3-3Lambda versus wild-type (Columbia-0). Leaf anatomy of the 14-3-3Lambda mutants demonstrated a greater cell density and less intracellular airspace compared to Col-0 in well-hydrated and drought conditions. Roots of the 14-3-3Lambda mutants exhibited collapsed epidermal, endodermal and cortical cells in both wet and dry conditions. We thus conclude that 14-3-3Lambda is involved in drought tolerance and contributes in the development of roots and leaves crucial for drought resistance.
Highlights
Drought stress is one of the most common environmental stresses that reduce agricultural productivity (Beck et al 2007)
The roles of 14-3-3 proteins have been established in abiotic stresses such as high salt concentration, cold and osmotic stress where the gene expression of the 14-3-3 was altered in response to stress
The water potentials of the 14-3-3λ mutants were significantly increased during drought and their relative water contents were significantly reduced compared to the wild-type
Summary
Drought stress is one of the most common environmental stresses that reduce agricultural productivity (Beck et al 2007) To alleviate this problem, considerable efforts have been directed towards understanding the various physiological and biochemical pathways plants employ during drought stress. Considerable efforts have been directed towards understanding the various physiological and biochemical pathways plants employ during drought stress These responses include the production of reactive oxygen species, stomatal closure, repression of cell growth, altered photosynthesis and activation of respiration (Beck et al, 2007). Signal transducers such as 14-3-3 proteins are involved in alerting downstream cellular components, triggering a stress resistant response and thereby enabling greater tolerance of biotic and abiotic stress (Roberts et al, 2002). Studies in sugar beet cells have shown a re-distribution of www.ccsenet.org/jas
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