An A-6 subgroup member of DREB gene family positively regulates cold stress tolerance by modulating an antioxidant defense system in transgenic potato

Abstract Cold stress adversely influences the growth, development, geographic distribution, and yield of plants. The dehydration-responsive element binding (DREB) transcription factors are central to improving plant’s ability to endure cold stress. In this work, the expression pattern of the StDREB3...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Saba Azeem, Faiza Munir, Alvina Gul, Rabia Amir
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98886-0
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850042802890604544
author Saba Azeem
Faiza Munir
Alvina Gul
Rabia Amir
author_facet Saba Azeem
Faiza Munir
Alvina Gul
Rabia Amir
author_sort Saba Azeem
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Cold stress adversely influences the growth, development, geographic distribution, and yield of plants. The dehydration-responsive element binding (DREB) transcription factors are central to improving plant’s ability to endure cold stress. In this work, the expression pattern of the StDREB30 (A-6) gene was analyzed in response to cold stress in transgenic potato. We provide evidence emphasizing the significance of the StDREB30 under low-temperature stress (4°C) and investigate the potential physiological, molecular and biochemical processes involved. StDREB30 expression levels were quickly elevated upon the cold exposure. Additionally, transgenic potato plants exhibited upregulation of randomly selected downstream genes (StNAC, StDREB1, StDREB2, StSAP, StGT3, and StDHN), improved photosynthetic parameters including coefficient of photochemical quenching (qL), and maximum yield of PSII (Fv’/Fm’), better stomatal performance, increased proline accumulation, decreased malondialdehyde content, electrolyte leakage, and reduced accumulation of hydrogen peroxide, and superoxide when exposed to cold stress. Moreover, StDREB30 improved reactive oxygen scavenging capabilities by stimulating the production of antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase. Our results propose that StDREB30 serves as a positive regulator in promoting cold tolerance. To our knowledge, no report has been published previously on the study of the StDREB30 (A-6) gene under cold stress in transgenic potatoes.
format Article
id doaj-art-ce22d8a9bd1f4364b9e785de8edef45a
institution DOAJ
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-ce22d8a9bd1f4364b9e785de8edef45a2025-08-20T02:55:25ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111710.1038/s41598-025-98886-0An A-6 subgroup member of DREB gene family positively regulates cold stress tolerance by modulating an antioxidant defense system in transgenic potatoSaba Azeem0Faiza Munir1Alvina Gul2Rabia Amir3Department of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and TechnologyDepartment of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and TechnologyDepartment of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and TechnologyDepartment of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and TechnologyAbstract Cold stress adversely influences the growth, development, geographic distribution, and yield of plants. The dehydration-responsive element binding (DREB) transcription factors are central to improving plant’s ability to endure cold stress. In this work, the expression pattern of the StDREB30 (A-6) gene was analyzed in response to cold stress in transgenic potato. We provide evidence emphasizing the significance of the StDREB30 under low-temperature stress (4°C) and investigate the potential physiological, molecular and biochemical processes involved. StDREB30 expression levels were quickly elevated upon the cold exposure. Additionally, transgenic potato plants exhibited upregulation of randomly selected downstream genes (StNAC, StDREB1, StDREB2, StSAP, StGT3, and StDHN), improved photosynthetic parameters including coefficient of photochemical quenching (qL), and maximum yield of PSII (Fv’/Fm’), better stomatal performance, increased proline accumulation, decreased malondialdehyde content, electrolyte leakage, and reduced accumulation of hydrogen peroxide, and superoxide when exposed to cold stress. Moreover, StDREB30 improved reactive oxygen scavenging capabilities by stimulating the production of antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase. Our results propose that StDREB30 serves as a positive regulator in promoting cold tolerance. To our knowledge, no report has been published previously on the study of the StDREB30 (A-6) gene under cold stress in transgenic potatoes.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98886-0DREB (A-6)Cold stressTransgenic potatoGene expressionAntioxidant enzymesReactive oxygen species
spellingShingle Saba Azeem
Faiza Munir
Alvina Gul
Rabia Amir
An A-6 subgroup member of DREB gene family positively regulates cold stress tolerance by modulating an antioxidant defense system in transgenic potato
Scientific Reports
DREB (A-6)
Cold stress
Transgenic potato
Gene expression
Antioxidant enzymes
Reactive oxygen species
title An A-6 subgroup member of DREB gene family positively regulates cold stress tolerance by modulating an antioxidant defense system in transgenic potato
title_full An A-6 subgroup member of DREB gene family positively regulates cold stress tolerance by modulating an antioxidant defense system in transgenic potato
title_fullStr An A-6 subgroup member of DREB gene family positively regulates cold stress tolerance by modulating an antioxidant defense system in transgenic potato
title_full_unstemmed An A-6 subgroup member of DREB gene family positively regulates cold stress tolerance by modulating an antioxidant defense system in transgenic potato
title_short An A-6 subgroup member of DREB gene family positively regulates cold stress tolerance by modulating an antioxidant defense system in transgenic potato
title_sort a 6 subgroup member of dreb gene family positively regulates cold stress tolerance by modulating an antioxidant defense system in transgenic potato
topic DREB (A-6)
Cold stress
Transgenic potato
Gene expression
Antioxidant enzymes
Reactive oxygen species
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98886-0
work_keys_str_mv AT sabaazeem ana6subgroupmemberofdrebgenefamilypositivelyregulatescoldstresstolerancebymodulatinganantioxidantdefensesystemintransgenicpotato
AT faizamunir ana6subgroupmemberofdrebgenefamilypositivelyregulatescoldstresstolerancebymodulatinganantioxidantdefensesystemintransgenicpotato
AT alvinagul ana6subgroupmemberofdrebgenefamilypositivelyregulatescoldstresstolerancebymodulatinganantioxidantdefensesystemintransgenicpotato
AT rabiaamir ana6subgroupmemberofdrebgenefamilypositivelyregulatescoldstresstolerancebymodulatinganantioxidantdefensesystemintransgenicpotato
AT sabaazeem a6subgroupmemberofdrebgenefamilypositivelyregulatescoldstresstolerancebymodulatinganantioxidantdefensesystemintransgenicpotato
AT faizamunir a6subgroupmemberofdrebgenefamilypositivelyregulatescoldstresstolerancebymodulatinganantioxidantdefensesystemintransgenicpotato
AT alvinagul a6subgroupmemberofdrebgenefamilypositivelyregulatescoldstresstolerancebymodulatinganantioxidantdefensesystemintransgenicpotato
AT rabiaamir a6subgroupmemberofdrebgenefamilypositivelyregulatescoldstresstolerancebymodulatinganantioxidantdefensesystemintransgenicpotato