AUTHOR=Zhu Xi , Duan Huimin , Zhang Guodong , Jin Hui , Xu Chao , Chen Shu , Zhou Chuanmeng , Chen Zhuo , Tang Jinghua , Zhang Yu 

TITLE=StMAPK1 functions as a thermos-tolerant gene in regulating heat stress tolerance in potato (Solanum tuberosum)

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2023.1218962

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2023.1218962

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Background and aims</title><p>Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) have been reported to respond to various stimuli including heat stress. This research aimed to investigate whether <italic>StMAPK1</italic> is implicated in the transduction of the heat stress signal to adapt heat stress as a thermos-tolerant gene.</p></sec><sec><title>Materials and methods</title><p>Potato plants were cultivated under mild (30°C) and acute (35°C) heat stress conditions to analyze mRNA expression of <italic>StMAPKs</italic> and physiological indicators. <italic>StMAPK1</italic> was up-regulated and down-regulated by transfection. Subcellular localization of StMAPK1 protein was observed by fluorescence microscope. The transgenic potato plants were assayed for physiological indexes, photosynthesis, cellular membrane integrity, and heat stress response gene expression.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>Heat stress altered the expression prolife of <italic>StMAPKs</italic>. <italic>StMAPK1</italic> overexpression changed the physiological characteristics and phenotypes of potato plants under heat stresses. <italic>StMAPK1</italic> mediates photosynthesis and maintains membrane integrity of potato plants in response to heat stress. Stress response genes (<italic>StP5CS</italic>, <italic>StCAT</italic>, <italic>StSOD</italic>, and <italic>StPOD</italic>) in potato plants were altered by <italic>StMAPK1</italic> dysregulation. mRNA expression of heat stress genes (<italic>StHSP90</italic>, <italic>StHSP70</italic>, <italic>StHSP20</italic>, and <italic>StHSFA3</italic>) was affected by <italic>StMAPK1</italic>.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusions</title><p><italic>StMAPK1</italic> overexpression increases the heat-tolerant capacity of potato plants at the morphological, physiological, molecular, and genetic levels.</p></sec>