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Cloning and characterization of SnRK2 subfamily II genes from Nicotiana tabacum

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Abstract

SnRK2 is a plant-specific protein kinase family involved in abiotic stress signalling. In this study, NtSnRK2.1, NtSnRK2.2, and NtSnRK2.3, were cloned from tobacco by in silico cloning and reverse transcription PCR. The three protein kinases were classed into subfamily II of the SnRK2 family using a phylogenetic tree and C-terminus analysis. Subcellular localization revealed NtSnRK2s in the nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments. Dynamic expression of NtSnRK2s in tobacco plants that were exposed to drought, salt, or cold stressors were characterised using quantitative real-time PCR. It was revealed that the three genes showed similar patterns of transcription under abiotic stress responses; there was evidence NtSnRK2s participated in abscisic acid-dependent signalling pathways. NtSnRK2.1–3 responded much faster to drought and salt than to cold stress. To investigate the role of NtSnRK2s under abiotic stresses, NtSnRK2.1 gene was over-expressed in tobacco. A stress tolerance assay showed that tobacco plants that over-expressed NtSnRK2.1 plants had greater salt tolerance. The results indicate that NtSnRK2s are involved in abiotic stress response pathways.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the grants from State Tobacco Monopoly Administration of China (No. 110200902045) and the research program on the metabolism and molecular basis of strong-flavor characteristic high-quality tobacco formation (No. TS-01-2011004).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory for Cultivation of Tobacco Industry, College of Tobacco Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China

    Hongying Zhang, Hongfang Jia, Guoshun Liu, Shengnan Yang, Songtao Zhang, Yongxia Yang, Peipei Yang & Hong Cui

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  1. Hongying Zhang
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  2. Hongfang Jia
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  3. Guoshun Liu
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  4. Shengnan Yang
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  8. Hong Cui
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Correspondence to Hong Cui.

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Zhang, H., Jia, H., Liu, G. et al. Cloning and characterization of SnRK2 subfamily II genes from Nicotiana tabacum . Mol Biol Rep 41, 5701–5709 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-014-3440-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-014-3440-y

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