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Heterologous expression of Arabidopsis C-repeat binding factor 3 (AtCBF3) and cold-regulated 15A (AtCOR15A) enhanced chilling tolerance in transgenic eggplant (Solanum melongena L.)

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Abstract

Key message

Our study shows that the expression of AtCBF3 and AtCOR15A improved the chilling tolerance in transgenic eggplant.

Abstract

In an attempt to improve chilling tolerance of eggplant (Solanum melongena L) plants, Arabidopsis C-repeat binding factor 3 (AtCBF3) and cold-regulated 15A (AtCOR15A) genes both driven by an Arabidopsis RESPONSIVE TO DESSICATION 29A promoter (AtRD29A) were transferred into the plants of eggplant cultivar Sanyueqie. Two independent homozygous transgenic lines were tested for their cold tolerance. The leaves of the transgenic plants in both lines withered much slower and slighter than the wild-type plants after exposure to cold stress treatment at 2 ± 1 °C. The gene expression of AtCBF3 and AtCOR15A was significantly increased as well as the proline content and the levels of catalase and peroxidase activities, while the relative electrical conductivity and the malondialdehyde content were remarkably decreased in the transgenic plants compared with the wild type at 4 ± 0.5 °C. The results showed that the expression of the exogenous AtCBF3 and AtCOR15A could promote the cold adaptation process to protect eggplant plants from chilling stress.

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Abbreviations

AtRD29A:

RESPONSIVE TO DESSICATION 29A promoter of Arabidopsis thaliana

6-BA:

6-benzyladenine

CaMV 35S:

Cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter

CAT:

Catalase

CBF:

C-repeat-binding factor

EL:

Electrolyte leakage

FW:

Fresh weight

MDA:

Malondialdehyde

NAA:

α-Naphthaleneacetic acid

POD:

Peroxidase

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

RT:

Room temperature

RT-PCR:

Real-time PCR

TBA:

2-thiobarbituric acid

Tnos:

The terminator of nopaline synthase gene

ZT:

Zeatin

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (863 Program, Grant No. 2009AA10Z104-7), the Transgenic Engineering Crops Breeding Special Funds from China’s Ministry of Agriculture (Grant No. 2009ZX08010-005B) and China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No. 2013M540692).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Horticulture Science for Southern Mountainous Regions (Chinese Ministry of Education), College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, People’s Republic of China

    Faxiang Wan, Yu Pan, Jinghua Li, Xiangfu Chen, Yanglu Pan & Xingguo Zhang

  2. Institute of Vegetable and Flower Research, Chongqing Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chongqing, 401329, People’s Republic of China

    Yongqing Wang & Shibing Tian

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  1. Faxiang Wan
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  2. Yu Pan
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  3. Jinghua Li
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  4. Xiangfu Chen
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Correspondence to Xingguo Zhang.

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Communicated by Kinya Toriyama.

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Wan, F., Pan, Y., Li, J. et al. Heterologous expression of Arabidopsis C-repeat binding factor 3 (AtCBF3) and cold-regulated 15A (AtCOR15A) enhanced chilling tolerance in transgenic eggplant (Solanum melongena L.). Plant Cell Rep 33, 1951–1961 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-014-1670-z

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