Ectopic Expression of Enhances Drought Tolerance and ABA Sensitivity in .
Nguyen Cao Nguyen, Xuan Lan Thi Hoang, Quang Thien Nguyen, Ngo Xuan Binh, Yasuko Watanabe, Nguyen Phuong Thao, Lam-Son Phan Tran
Author Information
Nguyen Cao Nguyen: School of Biotechnology, International University-Vietnam National University HCMC, Ho Chi Minh 700000, Vietnam.
Xuan Lan Thi Hoang: School of Biotechnology, International University-Vietnam National University HCMC, Ho Chi Minh 700000, Vietnam.
Quang Thien Nguyen: School of Biotechnology, International University-Vietnam National University HCMC, Ho Chi Minh 700000, Vietnam.
Ngo Xuan Binh: Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Technology, Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry, Thai Nguyen 250000, Vietnam.
Yasuko Watanabe: Stress Adaptation Research Unit, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 1-7-22, Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan.
Nguyen Phuong Thao: School of Biotechnology, International University-Vietnam National University HCMC, Ho Chi Minh 700000, Vietnam.
Lam-Son Phan Tran: Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, 03 Quang Trung, Da Nang, Vietnam.
The NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2, CUC2) transcription factors are widely known for their various functions in plant development and stress tolerance. Previous studies have demonstrated that genetic engineering can be applied to enhance drought tolerance via overexpression/ectopic expression of genes. In the present study, the dehydration- and drought-inducible from was ectopically expressed in (EX) plants to study its biological functions in mediating plant adaptation to water deficit conditions. Results revealed an improved drought tolerance in the transgenic plants, which displayed greater recovery rates by 20% to 54% than did the wild-type plants. In support of this finding, -EX plants exhibited lower water loss rates and decreased endogenous hydrogen peroxide production in leaf tissues under drought, as well as higher sensitivity to exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) treatment at germination and early seedling development stages. In addition, analyses of antioxidant enzymes indicated that EX plants possessed stronger activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase under drought stress. These results together demonstrated that GmNAC109 acts as a positive transcriptional regulator in the ABA-signaling pathway, enabling plants to cope with adverse water deficit conditions.