PdGNC confers drought tolerance by mediating stomatal closure resulting from NO and H2O2 production via the direct regulation of PdHXK1 expression in Populus

Summary Drought is one of the primary abiotic stresses, seriously implicating plant growth and productivity. Stomata play a crucial role in regulating drought tolerance. However, the molecular mechanism on stomatal movement‐mediated drought tolerance remains unclear. Using genetic, molecular and bio...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The New phytologist 2021-06, Vol.230 (5), p.1868-1882
Main Authors: Shen, Chao, Zhang, Yue, Li, Qing, Liu, Shujing, He, Fang, An, Yi, Zhou, Yangyan, Liu, Chao, Yin, Weilun, Xia, Xinli
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abscisic acid
Apertures
Cas9
CRISPR
Dehydration
Drought
Drought resistance
drought stress
Gene editing
Guard cells
H2O2 production
Hexokinase
Hydrogen peroxide
Nitric oxide
NO production
PdGNC
PdHXK1
Plant growth
Poplar
Populus
Stomata
stomatal closure
Synthesis
Transcription
Water deficit
Water loss
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Summary:Summary Drought is one of the primary abiotic stresses, seriously implicating plant growth and productivity. Stomata play a crucial role in regulating drought tolerance. However, the molecular mechanism on stomatal movement‐mediated drought tolerance remains unclear. Using genetic, molecular and biochemical techniques, we identified that the PdGNC directly activating the promoter of PdHXK1 by binding the GATC element, a hexokinase (HXK) synthesis key gene. Here, PdGNC, a member of the GATA transcription factor family, was greatly induced by abscisic acid and dehydration. Overexpressing PdGNC in poplar (Populus clone 717) resulted in reduced stomatal aperture with greater water‐use efficiency and increased water deficit tolerance. By contrast, CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated poplar mutant gnc exhibited increased stomatal aperture and water loss with reducing drought resistance. PdGNC activates PdHXK1 (a hexokinase synthesis key gene), resulting in a remarkable increase in hexokinase activity in poplars subjected to water deficit. Furthermore, hexokinase promoted nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production in guard cells, which ultimately reduced stomatal aperture and increased drought resistance. Together, PdGNC confers drought stress tolerance by reducing stomatal aperture caused by NO and H2O2 production via the direct regulation of PdHXK1 expression in poplars.
ISSN:0028-646X
1469-8137
DOI:10.1111/nph.17301