MbbHLH93, a transcription factor associated with cold and drought tolerance in Malus baccata

The bHLH transcription factor is known to regulate cold signals and stress tolerance. In the present study, a new bHLH gene MbbHLH93, located in the nucleus, was isolated from Malus baccata, whose up-regulated expression were strongly induced by cold and drought treatment, and MbbHLH93-overexpressed...

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Main Authors: Lihua Zhang, Yu Xu, Long Lv, Tianhe Wang, Wanda Liu, Xingguo Li, Wenhui Li, Junwei Huo, Deguo Han
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Maximum Academic Press 2024-01-01
Series:Fruit Research
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Online Access:https://www.maxapress.com/article/doi/10.48130/frures-0024-0032
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Summary:The bHLH transcription factor is known to regulate cold signals and stress tolerance. In the present study, a new bHLH gene MbbHLH93, located in the nucleus, was isolated from Malus baccata, whose up-regulated expression were strongly induced by cold and drought treatment, and MbbHLH93-overexpressed heterologous lettuce plants displayed cold and drought stress-tolerant phenotypes. Determination of physiological and biochemical indexes associated with abiotic stress responses showed that overexpression of MbbHLH93 increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase in lettuce plants treated with cold and drought stress, and decreased the contents of H2O2, O2·−, and malondialdehyde, which contributed to reducing cell membrane lipid peroxidation. Meanwhile, the accumulation of proline in transgenic plant cells increased, regulating cell osmotic pressure. Furthermore, quantitative expression analysis indicated that overexpression of MbbHLH93 improved the expression levels of LsCBFs, which were positive functional genes in response to cold and drought stress, enhancing plant tolerance. This research demonstrates that the MbbHLH93 is a key regulator in plant tolerance to cold and drought stresses, providing new knowledge for plant tolerance regulation.
ISSN:2769-4615