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MdbHLH106-like transcription factor enhances apple salt tolerance by upregulating MdNHX1 expression

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Abstract

Soil salinization is one of the most important abiotic stresses adversely affecting plant growth and yield. In this study, we cloned and characterized a putative salt tolerance gene encoding a bHLH (basic helix-loop-helix) transcription factor, MdbHLH106L (MdbHLH106-like), in the genome of apple (Malus domestica Borkh.). The expression level and promoter activity of MdbHLH106L are increased under salt stress. Overexpressing MdbHLH106L in ‘Orin’ calli can promote the expression level of MdNHX1 (Na+/H+ exchanger 1). Further analysis showed that MdbHLH106L is able to bind the MdNHX1 promoter. Moreover, we also confirmed the interaction between MdbHLH106L and MdZAT10. In conclusion, MdbHLH106L participates in the salt-stress signaling pathway and may mediate salt tolerance by activating the MdNHX1 promoter and interacting with MdZAT10. Our findings may serve as a theoretical basis for further investigating molecular mechanisms of stress responses and for enriching genetic resources of stress-tolerant apple cultivars.

Key Message

  1. 1.

    MdbHLH106-like transcription factor enhances apple salt tolerance

  2. 2.

    MdbHLH106L binds to the MdNHX1 promoter

  3. 3.

    MdbHLH106L interacts with MdZAT10 in vitro and in vivo

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Acknowledgments

We thank Yujin Hao Laboratories for providing the vectors, and Shujing Wu for comments on the manuscript.

Funding

This study was supported by the Agricultural Variety Improvement Project of Shandong Province (2019LZGC007) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31730080).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Horticulture Sciences and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, 271018, Shandong, China

    Qi Zou, Haifeng Xu, Guanxian Yang, Lei Yu, Huiyan Jiang, Zuolin Mao, Jiafei Hu, Zongying Zhang, Nan Wang & Xuesen Chen

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  1. Qi Zou
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  2. Haifeng Xu
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  3. Guanxian Yang
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  4. Lei Yu
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  6. Zuolin Mao
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  7. Jiafei Hu
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  8. Zongying Zhang
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  10. Xuesen Chen
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Contributions

QZ and XC devised and supervised the project. GY, and QZ performed the experiments. HX, LY, HJ, ZM and JH contributed to the preparation of all figures and tables. ZZ and NW analyzed the data. QZ and GY wrote the manuscript. All authors reviewed, revised, and approved the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Xuesen Chen.

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Communicated by Ming-Tsair Chan.

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Zou, Q., Xu, H., Yang, G. et al. MdbHLH106-like transcription factor enhances apple salt tolerance by upregulating MdNHX1 expression. Plant Cell Tiss Organ Cult 145, 333–345 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-021-02011-8

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