BioProject

Saline-alkali soil is a major environmental problem limiting plant growth and crop productivity. More...

Saline-alkali soil is a major environmental problem limiting plant growth and crop productivity. Plasma membrane H+-ATPases and the Salt Overly Sensitive (SOS) signaling pathway play important roles in plant response to saline-alkali stress. However, little is known about the functional genes and mechanisms regulating the transcription of H+-ATPases and SOS pathway genes under saline-alkali stress. In the present study, we identified a transcription factor TaPLATZ2 (plant AT-rich sequence and zinc-binding) involved in wheat response to saline-alkali stress, through directly suppress the expression of TaHA2/TaSOS3. The knock down of TaPLATZ2 enhances salt and alkali stress tolerance , while overexpression of TaPLATZ2 leads to salt and alkali stress sensitivity in wheat. In addition, TaWRKY55 was found to directly upregulates the expression of TaPLATZ2 during salt and alkali stress. Through knock down and overexpression of TaWRKY55 in wheat, TaWRKY55 was proved to negatively modulate salt and alkali stress tolerance in wheat. Genetic analyses verified that TaPLATZ2 functions downstream of TaWRKY55 in responding to salt and alkali stress. These findings provide a TaWRKY55 - TaPLATZ2 - TaHA2/TaSOS3 regulatory module that regulate wheat responses to salt and alkali stress. Less...