An obesity-like gene MdTLP7 from apple (Malus×domestica) enhances abiotic stress tolerance

• Published in: Biochemical and biophysical research communications 2014-03, Vol.445 (2), p.394-397
• Main Authors: Du, Fan, Xu, Jia-Ning, Zhan, Chun-Yan, Yu, Zhi-Bo, Wang, Xiao-Yun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation, Physiological; Amino Acid Sequence; E. coli; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli - genetics; Escherichia coli - growth & development; Escherichia coli - physiology; Functional region; Gene Expression; Genes, Plant; Malus - genetics; Models, Molecular; Molecular Sequence Data; Plant Proteins - chemistry; Plant Proteins - genetics; Protein Structure, Tertiary; Recombinant Proteins - chemistry; Recombinant Proteins - genetics; Sequence Alignment; Stress tolerance; Stress, Physiological; Tubby-like protein
• ISSN: 0006-291X; 1090-2104
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2014.02.005

•Isolation and characterization of MdTLP7.•Expression of MdTLP7 in E. coli enhances growth during abiotic stresses.•The β barrel of the Tubby domain played crucial roles in stress tolerance. Tubby-like proteins (TLPs) are found in a broad range of multicellular organisms. In mammals, genetic mutation of tubby or other TLPs can result in certain disease phenotypes related to animal specific characters: obesity, retinal degeneration, hearing loss, et al. Plants also harbor a large number of TLP genes, but the information in plants is far more limited. We identified a highly up-regulated obesity-like gene, MdTLP7, in our previous study of apple differential gene expression profile under chilling, indicating its possible role in plant abiotic stress tolerance. cDNA of MdTLP7 was amplified and expressed in Escherichia coli. In the solid and solution medium, the rate of growth and the quantity of the cell carrying MdTLP7 gene were significantly more than that of empty vector under salt and temperature stresses. To identify the functional region, serial deletion from both N-terminus and C-terminus of MdTLP7 was performed. In 415 amino acid polypeptide chain of MdTLP7, a middle conservative fragment (120–310 amino acid residues) played vital roles in stress tolerance. This fragment was involved in β barrel of Tubby domain according to the model of Tubby domain. All above results suggested MdTLP7 confers stress-tolerance to E. coli cell against abiotic stresses.