Over-expression of MBF1c enhances stress tolerance

Multiprotein bridging factor 1c MBF1c (At3g24500) is a stress-response transcription co-activator. To test the function of MBF1c, we over-expressed it in transgenic Arabidopsis plants using the 35S-CaMV promoter. T4 seeds form 3 independent lines were tested for their tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress conditions. Constitutive expression of MBF1c in Arabidopsis enhanced the tolerance of transgenic plants to bacterial infection, salinity, heat and osmotic stress. Moreover, the enhanced tolerance of transgenic plants to osmotic and heat stress was maintained even when these two stresses were combined. The expression of MBF1c in transgenic plants augmented the accumulation of a number of sugars and defense transcrtipts in response to heat stress. Transcriptome profiling and inhibitor studies suggest that MBF1c expression enhances the tolerance of transgenic plants to heat and osmotic stress by partially activating, or perturbing, the ethylene-response signal transduction pathway. MBF1 proteins could be used to enhance the tolerance of plants to different abiotic stresses. Suzuki et al., 2005 Plant Physiology, submitted. Experimenter name = Ron Mittler Experimenter phone = 1-775-784-1384 Experimenter fax = 1-775-784-1650 Experimenter department = Dept. of Biochemistry Experimenter institute = University of Nevada Experimenter address = MS200 Experimenter address = Reno Experimenter address = Nevada Experimenter zip/postal_code = 89557 Experimenter country = USA Keywords: genetic_modification_design; stimulus_or_stress_design 6 samples were used in this experiment