Expression of OsMYB55 in maize activates stress-responsive genes and enhances heat and drought tolerance.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Plant response mechanisms to heat and drought stresses have been considered in strategies for generating stress tolerant genotypes, but with limited success. Here, we analyzed the transcriptome and improved tolerance to heat stress and drought of maize plants over-expressing the OsMYB55 gene.

Results

Over-expression of OsMYB55 in maize decreased the negative effects of high temperature and drought resulting in improved plant growth and performance under these conditions. This was evidenced by the higher plant biomass and reduced leaf damage exhibited by the transgenic lines compared to wild type when plants were subjected to individual or combined stresses and during or after recovery from stress. A global transcriptomic analysis using RNA sequencing revealed that

SUBMITTER: Casaretto JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4850646 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature