Expression of the Nicotiana protein kinase (NPK1) enhanced drought tolerance in transgenic maize

Drought is one of the most important abiotic stresses affecting the productivity of maize. Previous studies have shown that expression of a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase (MAPKKK) gene activated an oxidative signal cascade and led to the tolerance of freezing, heat, and salinity stre...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of experimental botany 2004-05, Vol.55 (399), p.1013-1019
Main Authors: Shou, H, Bordallo, P, Wang, K
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Corn
Disasters
DNA
Drought
Drought tolerance
MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases - genetics
MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases - metabolism
Nicotiana - enzymology
Nicotiana - genetics
Nicotiana - physiology
Nicotiana protein kinase
Oxidative stress
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis - physiology
photosynthesis rate
Plant Leaves - physiology
Plant physiology
Plant Proteins - genetics
Plant Proteins - metabolism
Plants
Plants, Genetically Modified - enzymology
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Research Papers: Cell and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Physiology
Restriction Mapping
Seeds
Signal Transduction - genetics
Signal Transduction - physiology
Transgenes
transgenic maize
Transgenic plants
Water
Zea mays
Zea mays - enzymology
Zea mays - genetics
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Summary:Drought is one of the most important abiotic stresses affecting the productivity of maize. Previous studies have shown that expression of a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase (MAPKKK) gene activated an oxidative signal cascade and led to the tolerance of freezing, heat, and salinity stress in transgenic tobacco. To analyse the role of activation of oxidative stress signalling in improving drought tolerance in major crops, a tobacco MAPKKK (NPK1) was expressed constitutively in maize. Results show that NPK1 expression enhanced drought tolerance in transgenic maize. Under drought conditions, transgenic maize plants maintained significantly higher photosynthesis rates than did the non-transgenic control, suggesting that NPK1 induced a mechanism that protected photosynthesis machinery from dehydration damage. In addition, drought-stressed transgenic plants produced kernels with weights similar to those under well-watered conditions, while kernel weights of drought-stressed non-transgenic control plants were significantly reduced when compared with their non-stressed counterparts.
ISSN:0022-0957
1460-2431
1460-2431
DOI:10.1093/jxb/erh129