EgSPEECHLESS Responses to Salt Stress by Regulating Stomatal Development in Oil Palm.
Zhuojun Song, Le Wang, Chongcheong Lai, May Lee, Zituo Yang, Genhua Yue
Author Information
Zhuojun Song: Molecular Population Genetics and Breeding Group, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117604, Singapore. ORCID
Le Wang: Molecular Population Genetics and Breeding Group, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117604, Singapore.
Chongcheong Lai: Molecular Population Genetics and Breeding Group, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117604, Singapore.
May Lee: Molecular Population Genetics and Breeding Group, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117604, Singapore.
Zituo Yang: Molecular Population Genetics and Breeding Group, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117604, Singapore.
Genhua Yue: Molecular Population Genetics and Breeding Group, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117604, Singapore.
Oil palm is the most productive oil producing plant. Salt stress leads to growth damage and a decrease in yield of oil palm. However, the physiological responses of oil palm to salt stress and their underlying mechanisms are not clear. RNA-Seq was conducted on control and leaf samples from young palms challenged under three levels of salts (100, 250, and 500 mM NaCl) for 14 days. All three levels of salt stress activated EgSPCH expression and increased stomatal density of oil palm. Around 41% of differential expressed genes (DEGs) were putative EgSPCH binding target and were involved in multiple bioprocesses related to salt response. Overexpression of EgSPCH in Arabidopsis increased the stomatal production and lowered the salt tolerance. These data indicate that, in oil palm, salt activates EgSPCH to generate more stomata in response to salt stress, which differs from herbaceous plants. Our results might mirror the difference of salt-induced stomatal development between ligneous and herbaceous crops.
