Regulation of the trade-off between cold stress and growth by glutathione S-transferase phi class 10 (BcGSTF10) in non-heading Chinese cabbage

Abstract

Cold stress is a serious threat to global crop production and food security, but plant cold resistance is accompanied by reductions in growth and yield. In this study, we determined that the novel gene BcGSTF10 in non-heading Chinese cabbage [NHCC; Brassica campestris (syn. Brassica rapa) ssp. chinensis] is implicated in resistance to cold stress. Biochemical and genetic analyses demonstrated that BcGSTF10 interacts with BcICE1 to induce C-REPEAT BINDING FACTOR (CBF) genes that enhance freezing tolerance in NHCC and in Arabidopsis. However, BcCBF2 represses BcGSTF10 and the latter promotes growth in NHCC and Arabidopsis. This dual function of BcGSTF10 indicates its pivotal role in balancing cold stress and growth, and this important understanding has the potential to inform the future development of strategies to breed crops that are both climate-resilient and high-yielding.

Keywords: Brassica; CBF2; GSTF10; ICE1; cold stress; freezing tolerance; non-heading Chinese cabbage; plant growth.