Manipulation of monoubiquitin improves chilling tolerance in transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)

• Published in: Plant physiology and biochemistry Vol. 75; pp. 138 - 144
• Main Authors: Feng, Yanan, Zhang, Meng, Guo, Qifang, Wang, Guokun, Gong, Jiangfeng, Xu, Ying, Wang, Wei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Paris Elsevier Masson SAS 01.02.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adaptation, Physiological - genetics; Antioxidants - metabolism; beta-glucuronidase; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Membrane - metabolism; Chilling tolerance; Cloning, Molecular; cold stress; Cold Temperature; cold tolerance; electrolytes; enzyme activity; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gene overexpression; genes; Genes, Plant; Glucuronidase - genetics; leaves; malondialdehyde; Malondialdehyde - metabolism; Nicotiana - genetics; Nicotiana - metabolism; Nicotiana - physiology; Nicotiana tabacum; Oxidative Stress; Photosynthesis; photosystem II; Photosystem II Protein Complex - metabolism; Plant Leaves; Plant physiology and development; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Plants, Genetically Modified; proline; Proline - metabolism; proteasome endopeptidase complex; Reactive oxygen species; Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism; solutes; Stress, Physiological; sugars; tobacco; transgenic plants; Transgenic tobacco plants; Triticum - genetics; Triticum - metabolism; Triticum - physiology; Triticum aestivum; Ubiquitin; Ubiquitin - genetics; Ubiquitin - metabolism; vector control; Water - physiology; Wheat; wilting; Ubiquitin; NBT; Reactive oxygen species; POD; APX; SOD; MDA; E1; E2; Ub; E3; Chilling tolerance; Transgenic tobacco plants; Fv/Fm; CAT; ROS; ФPSII; T-GUS; UPS; pBI-GUS; Photosynthesis; Wheat; WT; Pn; Monocotyledones; Cold resistance; Tolerance; Stimulant plant; Nicotiana tabacum; Triticum; Plant physiology; Gramineae; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Spermatophyta; Transgenic plant; Solanaceae; peroxidase; vector control, carrying the recombinant construct of the β-glucuronidase gene alone under the control of CaMV 35S promoter and the nopaline synthase 3′ termination sequences in the sense orientation; ubiquitin-activating enzyme; actual efficiency of PSII; maximal efficiency of PSII photochemistry; nitroblue tetrazolium; malondialdehyde; catalase; Ub/26S proteasome system; ascorbate peroxidase; ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme; photosynthetic rate; ubiquitin-protein ligase; superoxide dismutase; wild-type; the transgenic plants carrying the recombinant construct of GUS gene
• ISSN: 0981-9428; 1873-2690; 1873-2690
• DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2013.11.003

Ubiquitin (Ub) is a multifunctional protein that mainly functions to tag proteins for selective degradation by the 26S proteasome. We cloned an Ub gene TaUb2 from wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) previously. To study the function of TaUB2 in chilling stress, sense and antisense Ub transgenic tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum L.), as well as wild type (WT) and vector control β-glucuronidase (T-GUS) plants, were used. Under stress, leaf wilting in sense plants was significantly less than in controls, but more severe in antisense plants. Meanwhile, the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and the maximal photochemical efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm) in sense plants were greater than controls, but lower in antisense plants during chilling stress and recovery. Less wilting in sense plants resulted from improved water status, which may be related to the accumulation of proline and solute sugar. Furthermore, as indicated by electrolyte leakage, membrane damage under stress was less in sense plants and more severe in antisense plants than controls. Consistent with electrolyte leakage, the malondialdehyde (MDA) content was less in sense plants, but more in antisense plants compared to controls. Meanwhile, the less accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the greater antioxidant enzyme activity in sense plants implied the improved antioxidant competence by the overexpression of monoubiquitin gene Ta-Ub2 from wheat. We suggest that overexpressing Ub is a useful strategy to promote chilling tolerance. The improvement of ROS scavenging may be an important mechanism underlying the role of Ub in promoting plants tolerant to chilling stress. •The monoubiquitin gene Ta-Ub2 promotes chilling tolerance in plants.•Ta-Ub2 plants are less subject to wilting at low temperatures than WT.•Overexpression of Ta-Ub2 reduced accumulation of reactive oxygen species.•Ta-Ub2 antisense plants react poorly to chilling conditions.•Ub plays many important physiological roles in plants at the cellular level.