AUTHOR=Li Li , Li Naiwei , Qi Xiwu , Bai Yang , Chen Qiutong , Fang Hailing , Yu Xu , Liu Dongmei , Liang Chengyuan , Zhou Yifeng 

TITLE=Characterization of the Glehnia littoralis Non-specific Phospholipase C Gene GlNPC3 and Its Involvement in the Salt Stress Response

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2021.769599

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2021.769599

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Glehnia littoralis</italic> is a medicinal halophyte that inhabits sandy beaches and has high ecological and commercial value. However, the molecular mechanism of salt adaptation in <italic>G. littoralis</italic> remains largely unknown. Here, we cloned and identified a non-specific phospholipase C gene (<italic>GlNPC3</italic>) from <italic>G. littoralis</italic>, which conferred lipid-mediated signaling during the salt stress response. The expression of <italic>GlNPC3</italic> was induced continuously by salt treatment. Overexpression of <italic>GlNPC3</italic> in <italic>Arabidopsis thaliana</italic> increased salt tolerance compared to wild-type (WT) plants. <italic>GlNPC3</italic>-overexpressing plants had longer roots and higher fresh and dry masses under the salt treatment. The <italic>GlNPC3</italic> expression pattern revealed that the gene was expressed in most <italic>G. littoralis</italic> tissues, particularly in roots. The subcellular localization of GlNPC3 was mainly at the plasma membrane, and partially at the tonoplast. GlNPC3 hydrolyzed common membrane phospholipids, such as phosphotidylserine (PS), phosphoethanolamine (PE), and phosphocholine (PC). <italic>In vitro</italic> enzymatic assay showed salt-induced total non-specific phospholipase C (NPC) activation in <italic>A. thaliana GlNPC3</italic>-overexpressing plants. Plant lipid profiling showed a significant change in the membrane-lipid composition of <italic>A. thaliana GlNPC3</italic>-overexpressing plants compared to WT after the salt treatment. Furthermore, downregulation of <italic>GlNPC3</italic> expression by virus-induced gene silencing in <italic>G. littoralis</italic> reduced the expression levels of some stress-related genes, such as <italic>SnRK2</italic>, <italic>P5SC5</italic>, <italic>TPC1</italic>, and <italic>SOS1</italic>. Together, these results indicated that <italic>GlNPC3</italic> and GlNPC3-mediated membrane lipid change played a positive role in the response of <italic>G. littoralis</italic> to a saline environment.</p>