Journal Article

A C-repeat binding factor transcriptional activator (CBF/DREB1) from European bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) induces freezing tolerance when expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana

Knight, Marc R, Baxter, Robert, Oakenfull, Rachael J

2013

Overview

Freezing stress affects all plants from temperate zones to the poles. Global climate change means such freezing events are becoming less predictable. This in turn reduces the ability of plants to predict the approaching low temperatures and cold acclimate. This has consequences for crop yields and distribution of wild plant species. C-repeat binding factors (CBFs) are transcription factors previously shown to play a vital role in the acclimation process of Arabidopsis thaliana, controlling the expression of hundreds of genes whose products are necessary for freezing tolerance. Work in other plant species cements CBFs as key determinants in the trait of freezing tolerance in higher plants. To test the function of CBFs from highly freezing tolerant plants species we cloned and sequenced CBF transcription factors from three Vaccinium species (Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium uliginosum and Vaccinium vitis-idaea) which we collected in the Arctic. We tested the activity of CBF transcription factors from the three Vaccinium species by producing transgenic Arabidopsis lines overexpressing them. Only the Vaccinium myrtillus CBF was able to substantially activate COR (CBF-target) gene expression in the absence of cold. Correspondingly, only the lines expressing the Vaccinium myrtillus CBF were constitutively freezing tolerant. The basis for the differences in potency of the three Vaccinium CBFs was tested by observing cellular localisation and protein levels. All three CBFs were correctly targeted to the nucleus, but Vaccinium uliginosum CBF appeared to be relatively unstable. The reasons for lack of potency for Vaccinium vitis-idaea CBF were not due to stability or targeting, and we speculate that this was due to altered transcription factor function.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Acclimation / Acclimatization / Acclimatization - genetics / Amino Acid Sequence / Arabidopsis / Arabidopsis - genetics / Arabidopsis - metabolism / Arabidopsis thaliana / Arctic Regions / Binding / Biology / Blotting, Western / Cell Nucleus - metabolism / Chlorophyll / Climate change / Cold / Cold tolerance / Crop yield / Crops / DNA binding proteins / Flowers & plants / Freezing / Gene expression / Genes / Genetic aspects / Genetic engineering / Genetic transcription / Global climate / Global temperature changes / Green Fluorescent Proteins - genetics / Green Fluorescent Proteins - metabolism / Low temperature / Microscopy, Confocal / Molecular Sequence Data / Nicotiana benthamiana / Nuclei / Plant growth / Plant Proteins - genetics / Plant Proteins - metabolism / Plant sciences / Plants, Genetically Modified / Polar environments / Protein Stability / Proteins / Seeds / Sequence Analysis, DNA / Sequence Homology, Amino Acid / Signal transduction / Species / Species Specificity / Temperate zones / Trans-Activators - genetics / Trans-Activators - metabolism / Transcription factors / Transgenic / Vaccinium - genetics / Vaccinium - metabolism / Vaccinium corymbosum / Vaccinium myrtillus / Vaccinium myrtillus - genetics / Vaccinium myrtillus - metabolism / Vaccinium uliginosum / Vaccinium vitis-idaea / Vaccinium vitis-idaea - genetics / Vaccinium vitis-idaea - metabolism / Weather forecasting