VcMYB4a, an R2R3-MYB transcription factor from Vaccinium corymbosum, negatively regulates salt, drought, and temperature stress

• Published in: Gene 2020-10, Vol.757, p.144935-144935, Article 144935
• Main Authors: Zhang, Chun-Yu, Liu, Hong-Chao, Zhang, Xin-Sheng, Guo, Qing-Xun, Bian, Shao-Min, Wang, Jing-Ying, Zhai, Lu-Lu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abiotic stress; Blueberry; MYB transcription factor
• ISSN: 0378-1119; 1879-0038
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2020.144935

•VcMYB4a transcription factor of blueberry possesses a C2/EAR-repressor motif domain.•VcMYB4a expression was downregulated by salt, drought, and cold treatment.•VcMYB4a expression was upregulated by freezing and heat.•Overexpression of VcMYB4a in blueberry callus enhanced sensitivity to abiotic stress.•VcMYB4a may be an important repressor of abiotic stress in blueberry. MYB transcription factors (TFs) play important roles in the plant’s response to abiotic stress. In this study, we cloned a novel MYB TF gene from Vaccinium corymbosum (blueberry) using rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The cDNA contained a 798-bp open reading frame that encodes a 265-amino acid protein. VcMYB4a possessed a C2/EAR-repressor motif domain and phylogenetic analysis showed that it clustered into a subgroup 4 with six Arabidopsis thaliana MYBs. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that VcMYB4a expression was downregulated by salt, drought, and cold treatment, but was induced by freezing and heat. Overexpression of VcMYB4a in blueberry callus enhanced sensitivity to salt, drought, cold, freezing, and heat stress. These results indicate that VcMYB4a may be an important repressor of abiotic stress in blueberry.