Overexpression of SiGSTU24 enhances salt tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis

Abstract Background Soil salinization can lead to reduced soil activity, damage to the plant root system, stunted crop growth and reduced yield. Foxtail millet, an important cereal crop, has high nutritional and economic value but is affected by salt stress during growth. During long-term evolution,...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hui Zhang, Linlin Wang, Lizhi Li, Yujia Zhang, Jiagang Wang, Guanghui Yang, Lulu Gao, Xiaoqian Chu, Juan Zhao, Mingxun Chen, Huiling Du, Xiangyang Yuan, Xiaorui Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-07-01
Series:BMC Plant Biology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-07021-8
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849766781725442048
author Hui Zhang
Linlin Wang
Lizhi Li
Yujia Zhang
Jiagang Wang
Guanghui Yang
Lulu Gao
Xiaoqian Chu
Juan Zhao
Mingxun Chen
Huiling Du
Xiangyang Yuan
Xiaorui Li
author_facet Hui Zhang
Linlin Wang
Lizhi Li
Yujia Zhang
Jiagang Wang
Guanghui Yang
Lulu Gao
Xiaoqian Chu
Juan Zhao
Mingxun Chen
Huiling Du
Xiangyang Yuan
Xiaorui Li
author_sort Hui Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Soil salinization can lead to reduced soil activity, damage to the plant root system, stunted crop growth and reduced yield. Foxtail millet, an important cereal crop, has high nutritional and economic value but is affected by salt stress during growth. During long-term evolution, foxtail millet has developed various regulatory mechanisms to cope with salt stress. Among them, the glutathione S-transferase (GST) gene family plays a key role in the response to salt stress. GSTs are superfamily enzymes encoded by multiple genes with multiple functions that increase plant resistance to abiotic stresses through antioxidant defence and detoxification processes. Results We identified the gene SiGSTU24, which was the most highly upregulated gene under salt stress among the foxtail millet GST gene family, via screening. We found that, compared with WT and atgstu24 plants, Arabidopsis overexpressing SiGSTU24 presented a greater germination rate and taller plant height after salt stress. Moreover, we found that SiGSTU24 reduced ROS accumulation and changed the activities of antioxidant defence system enzymes in Arabidopsis. SiGSTU24 increased the expression of the antioxidant enzyme-related genes ascorbate peroxidase (AtAPX), superoxide dismutase (AtSOD), peroxidase (AtPOD), and catalase (AtCAT) in Arabidopsis. RNA-Seq and qRT‒PCR verification revealed that SiGSTU24 enhanced salt tolerance and antioxidant capacity in Arabidopsis under salt stress by regulating antioxidant enzyme-related genes and transcription factors. These genes and transcription factors may help Arabidopsis adapt to salt stress environments through various biochemical pathways and regulatory networks. Conclusions SiGSTU24 overexpression enhances salt stress tolerance in Arabidopsis. This research provides a foundation for the study of SiGSTU24 function and supplements studies on gene functions in the foxtail millet GST gene family.
format Article
id doaj-art-bf8927e6e76342cfa74f3b68e3e67fbd
institution DOAJ
issn 1471-2229
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Plant Biology
spelling doaj-art-bf8927e6e76342cfa74f3b68e3e67fbd2025-08-20T03:04:27ZengBMCBMC Plant Biology1471-22292025-07-0125111510.1186/s12870-025-07021-8Overexpression of SiGSTU24 enhances salt tolerance in transgenic ArabidopsisHui Zhang0Linlin Wang1Lizhi Li2Yujia Zhang3Jiagang Wang4Guanghui Yang5Lulu Gao6Xiaoqian Chu7Juan Zhao8Mingxun Chen9Huiling Du10Xiangyang Yuan11Xiaorui Li12College of Agronomy, Shanxi Agricultural UniversityCollege of Agronomy, Shanxi Agricultural UniversityCollege of Agronomy, Shanxi Agricultural UniversityCollege of Agronomy, Shanxi Agricultural UniversityCollege of Agronomy, Shanxi Agricultural UniversityCollege of Agronomy, Shanxi Agricultural UniversityCollege of Agronomy, Shanxi Agricultural UniversityCollege of Agronomy, Shanxi Agricultural UniversityCollege of Agronomy, Shanxi Agricultural UniversityCollege of Agronomy, Northwest A&F UniversityShanxi Institute of Functional Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural UniversityCollege of Agronomy, Shanxi Agricultural UniversityCollege of Agronomy, Shanxi Agricultural UniversityAbstract Background Soil salinization can lead to reduced soil activity, damage to the plant root system, stunted crop growth and reduced yield. Foxtail millet, an important cereal crop, has high nutritional and economic value but is affected by salt stress during growth. During long-term evolution, foxtail millet has developed various regulatory mechanisms to cope with salt stress. Among them, the glutathione S-transferase (GST) gene family plays a key role in the response to salt stress. GSTs are superfamily enzymes encoded by multiple genes with multiple functions that increase plant resistance to abiotic stresses through antioxidant defence and detoxification processes. Results We identified the gene SiGSTU24, which was the most highly upregulated gene under salt stress among the foxtail millet GST gene family, via screening. We found that, compared with WT and atgstu24 plants, Arabidopsis overexpressing SiGSTU24 presented a greater germination rate and taller plant height after salt stress. Moreover, we found that SiGSTU24 reduced ROS accumulation and changed the activities of antioxidant defence system enzymes in Arabidopsis. SiGSTU24 increased the expression of the antioxidant enzyme-related genes ascorbate peroxidase (AtAPX), superoxide dismutase (AtSOD), peroxidase (AtPOD), and catalase (AtCAT) in Arabidopsis. RNA-Seq and qRT‒PCR verification revealed that SiGSTU24 enhanced salt tolerance and antioxidant capacity in Arabidopsis under salt stress by regulating antioxidant enzyme-related genes and transcription factors. These genes and transcription factors may help Arabidopsis adapt to salt stress environments through various biochemical pathways and regulatory networks. Conclusions SiGSTU24 overexpression enhances salt stress tolerance in Arabidopsis. This research provides a foundation for the study of SiGSTU24 function and supplements studies on gene functions in the foxtail millet GST gene family.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-07021-8Setaria italica L.SiGSTU24Glutathione S-transferaseSalt stress
spellingShingle Hui Zhang
Linlin Wang
Lizhi Li
Yujia Zhang
Jiagang Wang
Guanghui Yang
Lulu Gao
Xiaoqian Chu
Juan Zhao
Mingxun Chen
Huiling Du
Xiangyang Yuan
Xiaorui Li
Overexpression of SiGSTU24 enhances salt tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis
BMC Plant Biology
Setaria italica L.
SiGSTU24
Glutathione S-transferase
Salt stress
title Overexpression of SiGSTU24 enhances salt tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis
title_full Overexpression of SiGSTU24 enhances salt tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis
title_fullStr Overexpression of SiGSTU24 enhances salt tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis
title_full_unstemmed Overexpression of SiGSTU24 enhances salt tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis
title_short Overexpression of SiGSTU24 enhances salt tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis
title_sort overexpression of sigstu24 enhances salt tolerance in transgenic arabidopsis
topic Setaria italica L.
SiGSTU24
Glutathione S-transferase
Salt stress
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-07021-8
work_keys_str_mv AT huizhang overexpressionofsigstu24enhancessalttoleranceintransgenicarabidopsis
AT linlinwang overexpressionofsigstu24enhancessalttoleranceintransgenicarabidopsis
AT lizhili overexpressionofsigstu24enhancessalttoleranceintransgenicarabidopsis
AT yujiazhang overexpressionofsigstu24enhancessalttoleranceintransgenicarabidopsis
AT jiagangwang overexpressionofsigstu24enhancessalttoleranceintransgenicarabidopsis
AT guanghuiyang overexpressionofsigstu24enhancessalttoleranceintransgenicarabidopsis
AT lulugao overexpressionofsigstu24enhancessalttoleranceintransgenicarabidopsis
AT xiaoqianchu overexpressionofsigstu24enhancessalttoleranceintransgenicarabidopsis
AT juanzhao overexpressionofsigstu24enhancessalttoleranceintransgenicarabidopsis
AT mingxunchen overexpressionofsigstu24enhancessalttoleranceintransgenicarabidopsis
AT huilingdu overexpressionofsigstu24enhancessalttoleranceintransgenicarabidopsis
AT xiangyangyuan overexpressionofsigstu24enhancessalttoleranceintransgenicarabidopsis
AT xiaoruili overexpressionofsigstu24enhancessalttoleranceintransgenicarabidopsis