AUTHOR=Feng Zhi-Juan , Cui Xiao-Yu , Cui Xi-Yan , Chen Ming , Yang Guang-Xiao , Ma You-Zhi , He Guang-Yuan , Xu Zhao-Shi 

TITLE=The soybean GmDi19-5 interacts with GmLEA3.1 and increases sensitivity of transgenic plants to abiotic stresses

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=6

YEAR=2015

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2015.00179

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2015.00179

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p>Drought-induced (Di19) proteins played important roles in plant growth, development, and abiotic stress responses. In the present study, a total of seven <italic>Di19</italic> genes were identified in soybean. Each soybean <italic>Di19</italic> gene showed specific responses to salt, drought, oxidative, and ABA stresses based on expression profiles. With a relatively higher transcript level among <italic>Di19</italic> members under four stress treatments, <italic>GmDi19-5</italic> was selected for detailed analysis. Inhibitor assays revealed that ABA inhibitor (Fluridone) or H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> inhibitor (DMTU) was involved in the drought- or salt-induced transcription of <italic>GmDi19-5</italic>. The GUS activity driven by the <italic>GmDi19-5</italic> promoter was induced by salt, PEG, ABA, and MV treatments and tended to be accumulated in the vascular bundles and young leaves. A subcellular localization assay showed that GmDi19-5 protein localized in the nucleus. Further investigation showed that GmDi19-5 protein was involved in the interaction with GmLEA3.1. Overexpression of <italic>GmDi19-5</italic> increased sensitivity of transgenic <italic>Arabidopsis</italic> plants to salt, drought, oxidative, and ABA stresses and regulated expression of several ABA/stress-associated genes. This present investigation showed that <italic>GmDi19-5</italic> functioned as a negative factor under abiotic stresses and was involved in ABA and SOS signaling pathway by altering transcription of stress-associated genes.</p>