The durum wheat annexin, TdAnn6, improves salt and osmotic stress tolerance in Arabidopsis via modulation of antioxidant machinery

• Published in: Protoplasma 2021-09, Vol.258 (5), p.1047-1059
• Main Authors: Harbaoui, Marwa, Ben Romdhane, Walid, Ben Hsouna, Anis, Brini, Faiçal, Ben Saad, Rania
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abiotic stress; Abscisic acid; Annexins - genetics; Antioxidants; Arabidopsis; Arabidopsis - genetics; Arabidopsis - metabolism; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cell Biology; Drought; Droughts; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Genes; Genetic engineering; Genomes; Germination; Life Sciences; Malondialdehyde; Mannitol; Original Article; Osmotic Pressure; Osmotic stress; Oxidative stress; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Plant Sciences; Plants, Genetically Modified - genetics; Plants, Genetically Modified - metabolism; Reporter gene; Seedlings; Seeds; Sodium Chloride; Stress, Physiological; Transcription; Triticum - genetics; Triticum - metabolism; Triticum durum; Zoology
• ISSN: 0033-183X; 1615-6102
• DOI: 10.1007/s00709-021-01622-4

TdAnn6 is a gene encoding an annexin protein in durum wheat ( Triticum durum ). The function of TdAnn6 in plant response to stress is not yet clearly understood. Here, we isolated TdAnn6 and characterized it in genetically modified Arabidopsis thaliana . Expressing TdAnn6 in Arabidopsis coincided with an improvement in stress tolerance at germination and seedling stages. In addition, TdAnn6 -expressing seedling antioxidant activities were improved with lower level of malondialdehyde, and enhanced transcript levels of six stress-related genes during salt/osmotic stresses. Under greenhouse conditions, the TdAnn6 plants exhibited increased tolerance to salt or drought stress. To deepen our understanding of TdAnn6 function, we isolated a 1515-bp genomic fragment upstream of its coding sequence, designated as Pr TdAnn6 . The Pr TdAnn6 promoter was fused to the β-glucuronidase reporter gene and transferred to Arabidopsis . By histochemical GUS staining, GUS activity was detected in the roots, leaves, and floral organs, but no activity was detected in the seeds. Furthermore, we noticed a high stimulation of promoter activity when A. thaliana seedlings were exposed to NaCl, mannitol, ABA, GA, and cold conditions. This cross-talk between tissue-specific expression and exogenous stress stimulation may provide additional layers of regulation for salt and osmotic stress responses in crops.