Overexpression of Cotton Glutathione S-Transferase (GST) cDNA and Increase of low Temperature and Salt Tolerance in Plants

Cotton Glutathione S-Transferase(GST: EC 2.5.1.18) was cloned and Gh-5 cDNA was overexpressed in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants. The transformation of cotton GST in tobacco plant was confirmed by northern blot analysis. Type I and Type II transcript patterns were identified in Gh-5 transgenic tobacco plants. Type I transcripts was only discussed in this paper. Glutathione and 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) were used as the substrates, and the activity of GST in the type I transgenic plants was about 2.5-fold higher than the non-expressers and wild type tobacco plants. The expression of cotton GST in tobacco plants proved that Gh-5 could be translated into functional protein. Type I transgenic plants produced functional GST in the cells. Type I showed higher GST specific activity than Type II in the transgenic plants. Control and transgenic seedlings were grown in the growth chamber and under the light at 15$^{\circ}C$, and the effects of cotton GST in the seedlings was evaluated. The growth rate of Gh-5 overexpressors was better than the control and non-transgenic tobacco plants. Salinity tolerance was also analyzed on the seeds of transgenic plants. Seeds of Gh-5 overexpressors and the wild type tobacco seedlings were germinated and grown at 0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 mM NaCl solution. Gh-5 transgenic seedlings showed higher growth rate over control seedlings at both 50 and 100 mM NaCl solution. But at 0, 150, and 200 mM NaCl concentration, the difference in growth rate was not detected.