AUTHOR=Zhang Xiang-Zhan , Zheng Wei-Jun , Cao Xin-You , Cui Xi-Yan , Zhao Shu-Ping , Yu Tai-Fei , Chen Jun , Zhou Yong-Bin , Chen Ming , Chai Shou-Cheng , Xu Zhao-Shi , Ma You-Zhi 

TITLE=Genomic Analysis of Stress Associated Proteins in Soybean and the Role of GmSAP16 in Abiotic Stress Responses in Arabidopsis and Soybean

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2019.01453

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2019.01453

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p>Stress associated proteins (SAPs) containing A20/AN1 zinc finger domains have emerged as novel regulators of stress responses. In this study, 27 SAP genes were identified in soybean. The phylogenetic relationships, exon–intron structure, domain structure, chromosomal localization, putative <italic>cis</italic>-acting elements, and expression patterns of SAPs in various tissues under abiotic stresses were analyzed. Among the soybean SAP genes, <italic>GmSAP1</italic>6 was significantly induced by water deficit stress, salt, and abscisic acid (ABA) and selected for further analysis. GmSAP16 was located in the nucleus and cytoplasm. The overexpression of <italic>GmSAP16</italic> in <italic>Arabidopsis</italic> improved drought and salt tolerance at different developmental stages and increased ABA sensitivity, as indicated by delayed seed germination and stomatal closure. The <italic>GmSAP16</italic> transgenic <italic>Arabidopsis</italic> plants had a higher proline content and a lower water loss rate and malondialdehyde (MDA) content than wild type (WT) plants in response to stresses. The overexpression of <italic>GmSAP16</italic> in soybean hairy roots enhanced drought and salt tolerance of soybean seedlings, with higher proline and chlorophyll contents and a lower MDA content than WT. RNA inference (RNAi) of <italic>GmSAP16</italic> increased stress sensitivity. Stress-related genes, including <italic>GmDREB1B;1</italic>, <italic>GmNCED3</italic>, <italic>GmRD22</italic>, <italic>GmDREB2</italic>, <italic>GmNHX1</italic>, and <italic>GmSOS1</italic>, showed significant expression alterations in <italic>GmSAP16</italic>-overexpressing and RNAi plants under stress treatments. These results indicate that soybean SAP genes play important roles in abiotic stress responses.</p>