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IbSIMT1, a novel salt-induced methyltransferase gene from Ipomoea batatas, is involved in salt tolerance

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Abstract

S-adenosyl-methionine (SAM)-dependent methyltransferase (MTase) genes are a multigene family; however, only a few have been characterized at the functional level. In the present study, a novel salt-induced SAM-dependent MTase gene, named IbSIMT1, was isolated from salt-tolerant sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) line ND98. IbSIMT1 contains a DUF248 domain of unknown function and an MTase domain. Expression of IbSIMT1 was up-regulated in sweetpotato under salt stress and abscisic acid treatment. The IbSIMT1-overexpressing sweetpotato (cv. Shangshu 19) plants exhibited significantly higher salt tolerance compared with the wild-type. Proline content was significantly increased, whereas malonaldehyde content was significantly decreased in the transgenic plants. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and photosynthesis were significantly enhanced in the transgenic plants. H2O2 was also found to be significantly less accumulated in the transgenic plants than in the wild-type. Overexpression of IbSIMT1 up-regulated the salt stress responsive genes, including pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase, pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase, SOD, psbA and phosphoribulokinase genes under salt stress. These findings suggest that the novel IbSIMT1 gene is involved in sweetpotato salt tolerance and enhances salt tolerance of the transgenic sweetpotato plants by regulating osmotic balance, protecting membrane integrity and photosynthesis and increasing reactive oxygen species scavenging capacity.

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Abbreviations

ABA:

Abscisic acid

Carb:

Carbenicillin

2,4-D:

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid

DAB:

3,3′-Diaminobenzidine

IPTG:

Isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside

MDA:

Malonaldehyde

MTase:

Methyltransferase

PPT:

Phosphinothricin

qRT-PCR:

Real-time quantitative PCR

RACE:

Rapid amplification of cDNA ends

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

SAM:

S-adenosyl-methionine

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Michael Portereiko, Ceres, Inc. USA, and Dr. Daniel Q. Tong, University of Maryland, USA, for English improvement. We also thank Prof. Wang T, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, Beijing, China, for providing Strain EHA 105. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31371680) and China Agriculture Research System (CARS-11, Sweetpotato).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement/Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, Ministry of Education, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China

    Degao Liu, Shaozhen He, Xuejin Song, Hong Zhai, Ning Liu, Dongdong Zhang, Zhitong Ren & Qingchang Liu

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  1. Degao Liu
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  2. Shaozhen He
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  3. Xuejin Song
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  4. Hong Zhai
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  8. Qingchang Liu
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Correspondence to Qingchang Liu.

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Degao Liu, Shaozhen He and Xuejin Song have contributed equally to this work.

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Liu, D., He, S., Song, X. et al. IbSIMT1, a novel salt-induced methyltransferase gene from Ipomoea batatas, is involved in salt tolerance. Plant Cell Tiss Organ Cult 120, 701–715 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-014-0638-6

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