AUTHOR=Qiao Kun , Wang Min , Takano Tetsuo , Liu Shenkui 

TITLE=Overexpression of Acyl-CoA-Binding Protein 1 (ChACBP1) From Saline-Alkali-Tolerant Chlorella sp. Enhances Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2018

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2018.01772

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2018.01772

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p>A large proportion of the world’s arable land is saline-alkali land, and this is becoming an urgent environmental problem for agriculture. One approach to address this problem is to develop new varieties of stress-resistant plants through genetic engineering. The algae (<italic>Chlorella</italic><italic>sp.</italic>) JB6, which was previously isolated from saline-alkali land, was found to exhibit strong NaHCO<sub>3</sub> tolerance. Here, we explored saline-alkali-tolerance genes in this alga that might be useful for producing abiotic stress-resistant transgenic plants. We identified a gene encoding acyl-CoA-binding protein 1 (ACBP1) from JB6 by screening a full-length cDNA library in yeast under NaHCO<sub>3</sub> stress. Northern blot analyses showed that the <italic>ChACBP1</italic> mRNA levels were significantly up-regulated under abiotic stresses such as salinity, oxidation, heavy metals, and low temperature stresses. The recombinant ChACBP1 protein was found to bind phosphatidylcholine <italic>in vitro</italic>. Green fluorescent protein-labeled ChACBP1 was localized to the cytosol. Overexpression of <italic>ChACBP1</italic> in yeast and <italic>Arabidopsis</italic> increased their resistance to high salinity, oxidation, heavy metals, and low temperature stresses. These results suggested that ChACBP1 may mediate plant abiotic stress adaptation through phospholipid metabolism. Thus, ChACBP1 may be useful to genetically improve the tolerance of plants to saline-alkali soil.</p>