• Molecules and Cells
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.250-257
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• 2016

Abiotic stresses such as drought and low temperature critically restrict plant growth, reproduction, and productivity. Higher plants have developed various defense strategies against these unfavorable conditions. CaPUB1 (Capsicum annuum Putative U-box protein 1) is a hot pepper U-box E3 Ub ligase. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants that constitutively expressed CaPUB1 exhibited drought-sensitive phenotypes, suggesting that it functions as a negative regulator of the drought stress response. In this study, CaPUB1 was over-expressed in rice (Oryza sativa L.), and the phenotypic properties of transgenic rice plants were examined in terms of their drought and cold stress tolerance. Ubi:CaPUB1 T3 transgenic rice plants displayed phenotypes hypersensitive to dehydration, suggesting that its role in the negative regulation of drought stress response is conserved in dicot Arabidopsis and monocot rice plants. In contrast, Ubi:CaPUB1 progeny exhibited phenotypes markedly tolerant to prolonged low temperature ($4^{\circ}C$) treatment, compared to those of wild-type plants, as determined by survival rates, electrolyte leakage, and total chlorophyll content. Cold stress-induced marker genes, including DREB1A, DREB1B, DREB1C, and Cytochrome P450, were more up-regulated by cold treatment in Ubi:CaPUB1 plants than in wild-type plants. These results suggest that CaPUB1 serves as both a negative regulator of the drought stress response and a positive regulator of the cold stress response in transgenic rice plants. This raises the possibility that CaPUB1 participates in the cross-talk between drought and low-temperature signaling pathways.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.120-126
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• 2022

The objective of this study was to determine effects of phosphorus on lignification and carbohydrate metabolism in Kentucky bluegrass under drought stress. Drought stress was induced by reducing of water to plants in pots. Two types of phosphorus were applied as potassium phosphate (PO₄^3-; P) or potassium phosphonate (PO₃^3-; PA) in drought-stressed plants. Drought had significant negative effects on plant growth, as revealed by reduced biomass of shoot. Drought-induced increase of lignin content was concomitant with the increase of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL). Soluble sugar content was highly increased but fructan content was largely decreased by drought stress. However, the application of phosphorus was efficient to ameliorate the adverse effects of drought. PA application improved reduced shoot growth and relative water content, and inhibited lignification synthesis with a reduction of PAL activity. P or PA application maintained soluble sugar and fructan content at similar levels to controls under drought stress. These results indicate that phosphorus application may mitigate the drought stress by inhibiting the lignification and promoting the fructan assimilation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2022.10a
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• pp.25-25
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• 2022

Drought becomes frequent and severe because of continuous global warming, leading to a significant loss of crop yield. In soybean (Glycine max [L.]), most of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) analyses for drought tolerance have conducted by investigating yield changes under water-restricted conditions at the reproductive stages. More recently, the necessity of QTL studies to use physiological indices responding to drought at the early growth stages besides the reproductive ones has arisen due to the unpredictable and prevalent occurrence of drought throughout the soybean growing season. In this study, we thus identified QTLs conferring wilting scores and moisture contents of soybean subjected to drought stress in the early vegetative stage using an recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from a cross between Taekwang (drought-sensitive) and SS2-2 (drought-tolerant). For the two traits, the same major QTL was located on chromosome 10, accounting for up to 11.5% of phenotypic variance explained with LOD score of 12.5. This QTL overlaps with a reported QTL for the limited transpiration trait in soybean and harbors an ortholog of the Arabidopsis ABA and drought-induced RING-D UF1117 gene. Meanwhile, one of important features of plant drought tolerance is their ability to limit transpiration rates under high vapor pressure deficiency in response to mitigate water loss. However, monitoring their transpiration rates is time-consuming and laborious. Therefore, only a few population-level studies regarding transpiration rates under the drought condition have been reported so far. Via employing an Arduino-based platform, for the reasons addressed, we are measuring and recording total pot weights of soybean plants every hour from the 1^st day after water restriction to the days when the half of the RILs exhibited permanent tissue damage in at least one trifoliate. Gradual decrease in moisture of soil in pots as time passes refers increase in the severity of drought stress. By tracking changes in the total pot weights of soybean plants, we will infer transpiration rates of the mapping parents and their RILs according to different levels of VPD and drought stress. The profile of transpiration rates from different levels of severity in the stresses facilitates a better understanding of relationship between transpiration-related features, such as limited maximum transpiration rates, to water saving performances, as well as those to other drought-responsive phenotypes. Our findings will provide primary insights on drought tolerance mechanisms in soybean and useful resources for improvement of soybean varieties tolerant to drought stress.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 2014

Recent genome annotation revealed that Populus trichocarpa contains 81 glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes. GST genes play important and varying roles in plants, including conferring tolerance to various abiotic stresses. Little information is available on the relationship - if any - between drought/salt stresses and GSTs in woody plants. In this study, we screened the PatgGST genes in hybrid poplar (Populus alba ${\times}$ Populus tremula var. glandulosa) that were predicted to confer drought tolerance based on our expression analysis of all members of the poplar GST superfamily following exposure to salt (NaCl) and drought (PEG) stresses, respectively. Exposure to the salt stress resulted in the induction of eight PatgGST genes and down-regulation of one PatgGST gene, and the level of induction/repression was different in leaf and stem tissues. In contrast, 16 PatgGST genes were induced following exposure to the drought (PEG) stress, and two were down-regulated. Taken together, we identified seven PatgGSTs (PatgGSTU15, PatgGSTU18, PatgGSTU22, PatgGSTU27, PatgGSTU46, PatgGSTU51 and PatgGSTU52) as putative drought tolerance genes based on their induction by both salt and drought stresses.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.248-255
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• 2010

We previously demonstrated that root colonization of the rhizobacterium, Pseudomonas chlororaphis O6, induced expression of a galactinol synthase gene (CsGolS1), and resulting galactinol conferred induced systemic resistance (ISR) against fungal and bacterial pathogens in cucumber leaves. To examine the role of galactinol on ISR, drought or high salt stress, we obtained T-DNA insertion Arabidopsis mutants at the AtGolS1 gene, an ortholog of the CsGolS1 gene. The T-DNA insertion mutant compromised resistance induced by the O6 colonization against Erwinia carotovora. Pharmaceutical application of 0.5 - 5 mM galactinol on roots was sufficient to elicit ISR in wild-type Arabidopsis against infection with E. carotovora. The involvement of jasmonic acid (JA) signaling on the ISR was validated to detect increased expression of the indicator gene PDF1.2. The T-DNA insertion mutant also compromised tolerance by increasing galactinol content in the O6-colonized plant against drought or high salt stresses. Taken together, our results indicate that primed expression of the galactinol synthase gene AtGolS1in the O6-colonized plants can play a critical role in the ISR against infection with E. carotovora, and in the tolerance to drought or high salt stresses.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2017.06a
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• pp.38-38
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• 2017

Water stress obstructs rice growth mainly by oxidative damage in biological cells to cause a reduction of leaf photosynthesis and evapotranspiration processes. In this study, exogenous application of vanillic acid (VA) and p-hydroxybenzoic acid (PHBA) to improve drought tolerance of two Oryza sativa cultivars, Q2 and Q8 was tested. The drought evaluation based on leaf phenotypes to show that both Q2 and Q8 resulted in remarkable water-stress tolerance induced by leaf spraying pretreatment of mixed solution of $50{\mu}M\;VA+50{\mu}M\;PHBA$. The mixtures of $25{\mu}M\;VA+25{\mu}M\;PHBA$ and $50{\mu}M\;VA+50{\mu}M\;PHBA$ treated on Q2 and Q8 in water deficit condition also indicated that total phenols, total flavonoids, and DPPH radical scavenging activity were significantly greater their controls. In general, the accumulation of individual phenolic acids was increased in exogenous phenolic treatments, as compared with controls. Particularly, Q2 obtained a considerable amount of endogenous PHBA after application of $50{\mu}M\;VA$, $25{\mu}M\;VA+25{\mu}M\;PHBA$, and $50{\mu}M\;VA+50{\mu}M\;PHBA$ (0.18 mg/g DW, 0.71 mg/g DW, and 1.41 mg/g DW, respectively); and a negligible content of VA (0.003 mg/g DW) appeared uniquely in the treatment of $50{\mu}M\;VA$. Similarly, Q8 also absorbed a significant quantity of PHBA in $50{\mu}M\;PHBA$, $25{\mu}M\;VA+25{\mu}M\;PHBA$, and $50{\mu}M\;VA+50{\mu}M\;PHBA$ treatments (0.15 mg/g DW, 0.15 mg/g DW, and 0.22 mg/g DW, respectively). In addition, the spraying $50{\mu}M\;PHBA$ and $25{\mu}M\;VA+25{\mu}M\;PHBA$ on Q8 leaves induced similar amount of drought tolerance of Q2 and Q8 were improved, paralleled with the increased amounts of endogenous phenolics revealed that VA and PHBA played an important role to enhance drought tolerance in rice.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2017.06a
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• pp.33-33
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• 2017

Water stress obstructs rice growth mainly by oxidative damage in biological cells to cause a reduction of leaf photosynthesis and evapotranspiration processes. In this study, exogenous application of vanillic acid (VA) and p-hydroxybenzoic acid (PHBA) to improve drought tolerance of two Oryza sativa cultivars, Q2 and Q8 was tested. The drought evaluation based on leaf phenotypes to show that both Q2 and Q8 resulted in remarkable water-stress tolerance induced by leaf spraying pretreatment of mixed solution of $50{\mu}M\;VA+50{\mu}M\;PHBA$. The mixtures of $25{\mu}M\;VA+25{\mu}M\;PHBA$ and $50{\mu}M\;VA+50{\mu}M\;PHBA$ treated on Q2 and Q8 in water deficit condition also indicated that total phenols, total flavonoids, and DPPH radical scavenging activity were significantly greater their controls. In general, the accumulation of individual phenolic acids was increased in exogenous phenolic treatments, as compared with controls. Particularly, Q2 obtained a considerable amount of endogenous PHBA after application of $50{\mu}M\;VA$, $25{\mu}M\;VA+25{\mu}M\;PHBA$, and $50{\mu}M\;VA+50{\mu}M\;PHBA$ (0.18 mg/g DW, 0.71 mg/g DW, and 1.41 mg/g DW, respectively); and a negligible content of VA (0.003 mg/g DW) appeared uniquely in the treatment of $50{\mu}M\;VA$. Similarly, Q8 also absorbed a significant quantity of PHBA in $50{\mu}M\;PHBA$, $25{\mu}M\;VA+25{\mu}M\;PHBA$, and $50{\mu}M\;VA+50{\mu}M\;PHBA$ treatments (0.15 mg/g DW, 0.15 mg/g DW, and 0.22 mg/g DW, respectively). In addition, the spraying $50{\mu}M\;PHBA$ and $25{\mu}M\;VA+25{\mu}M\;PHBA$ on Q8 leaves induced similar amount of VA (0.04 mg/g DW). Meanwhile, there were no trace of VA and PHBA found in controls. The levels of drought tolerance of Q2 and Q8 were improved, paralleled with the increased amounts of endogenous phenolics revealed that VA and PHBA played an important role to enhance drought tolerance in rice.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.1156-1168
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• 2020

Drought stress is threatening the growth and productivity of many economical crops. Therefore, it is necessary to establish innovative and efficient approaches for improving crop growth and productivity. Here we investigated the potentials of the cell-free extract of Actinobacteria (Ac) isolated from a semi-arid habitat (Al-Jouf region, Saudi Arabia) to recover the reduction in maize growth and improve the physiological stress tolerance induced by drought. Three Ac isolates were screened for production of secondary metabolites, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The isolate Ac3 revealed the highest levels of flavonoids, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities in addition to having abilities to produce siderophores and phytohormones. Based on seed germination experiment, the selected bioactive fraction of Ac3 cell-free extract (F2.7, containing mainly isoquercetin), increased the growth and photosynthesis rate under drought stress. Moreover, F2.7 application significantly alleviated drought stress-induced increases in H₂O₂, lipid peroxidation (MDA) and protein oxidation (protein carbonyls). It also increased total antioxidant power and molecular antioxidant levels (total ascorbate, glutathione and tocopherols). F2.7 improved the primary metabolism of stressed maize plants; for example, it increased in several individuals of soluble carbohydrates, organic acids, amino acids, and fatty acids. Interestingly, to reduce stress impact, F2.7 accumulated some compatible solutes including total soluble sugars, sucrose and proline. Hence, this comprehensive assessment recommends the potentials of actinobacterial cell-free extract as an alternative ecofriendly approach to improve crop growth and quality under water deficit conditions.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.575-584
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• 2015

Drought stress is a crucial environmental factor determining crop survival and productivity. The goal of this study was to clearly identify a new drought stress-tolerance gene in Brassica rapa. From KBGP-24K microarray data with the B. rapa ssp. pekinensis inbred line 'Chiifu' under drought stress treatment, a gene which was named BrDSR (B. rapa Drought Stress Resistance) was chosen among 738 drought-responsive unigenes. BrDSR function has yet to be determined, but its expression was induced over 6-fold by drought. To characterize BrDSR, the gene was isolated from B. rapa inbred line 'CT001' and found to contain a 438-bp open reading frame encoding a 145 amino acid protein. The full-length cDNA of BrDSR was used to construct an over-expression vector, 'pSL100'. Tobacco transformation was then conducted to analyze whether the BrDSR gene can increase drought tolerance in plants. The BrDSR expression level in T1 transgenic tobacco plants selected via PCR and DNA blot analyses was up to 2.6-fold higher than non-transgenic tobacco. Analysis of phenotype clearly showed that BrDSR-expressing tobacco plants exhibited more tolerance than wild type under 10 d drought stress. Taking all of these findings together, we expect that BrDSR functions effectively in plant growth and survival of drought stress conditions.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2017.06a
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• pp.110-110
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• 2017

Stomata are the main gateways for water and air transport between leaves and the environment. Inward-rectifying potassium channels regulate photo-induced stomatal opening. Rice contains three inward rectifying shaker-like potassium channel proteins, OsKAT1, OsKAT2 and OsKAT3. Among these, only OsKAT2 is specifically expressed in guard cells. Here, we investigated the functions of OsKAT2 in stomatal regulation using three dominant negative mutant proteins, OsKAT2(T235R), OsKAT2(T285A) and OsKAT2(T285D), which are altered in amino acids in the channel pore and at a phosphorylation site. Yeast complementation and patch clamp assays showed that all three mutant proteins lost channel activity. However, among plants overexpressing these mutant proteins, only plants overexpressing OsKAT2(T235R) showed significantly less water loss than the control. Moreover, overexpression of this mutant protein led to delayed photo-induced stomatal opening and increased drought tolerance. Our results indicate that OsKAT2 is an inward-rectifying shaker-like potassium channel that mainly functions in stomatal opening. Interestingly, overexpression of OsKAT2(T235R) did not cause serious defects in growth or yield in rice, suggesting that OsKAT2 is a potential target for engineering plants with improved drought tolerance without yield penalty.