Functional characterization of BdCIPK31 in plant response to potassium deficiency stress

Qingchen Luo; Jialu Feng; Guangxiao Yang; Guangyuan He

doi:10.1016/j.plaphy.2022.10.014

Functional characterization of BdCIPK31 in plant response to potassium deficiency stress

Plant Physiol Biochem. 2022 Dec 1:192:243-251. doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2022.10.014. Epub 2022 Oct 17.

Authors

Qingchen Luo¹, Jialu Feng², Guangxiao Yang³, Guangyuan He⁴

Affiliations

¹ Hubei Key Laboratory of Purification and Application of Plant Anti-Cancer Active Ingredients, Department of Chemistry and Life Science, Hubei University of Education, Wuhan, 430205, China; The Genetic Engineering International Cooperation Base of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China. Electronic address: lqc_sy@126.com.
² School of Medicine, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430081, China; The Genetic Engineering International Cooperation Base of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China. Electronic address: fengjialu523@163.com.
³ The Genetic Engineering International Cooperation Base of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China. Electronic address: ygx@hust.edu.cn.
⁴ The Genetic Engineering International Cooperation Base of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China. Electronic address: hegy@hust.edu.cn.

PMID: 36272191
DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2022.10.014

Abstract

Potassium (K) is one of the most essential macronutrients for plants. However, K⁺ is deficient in some cultivated soils. Hence, improving the efficiencies of K⁺ uptake and utilization is important for agricultural production. Ca²⁺ signaling pathways play an important role in regulation of K⁺ acquisition. In the present study, BdCIPK31, a Calcineurin B-like protein interacting protein kinase (CIPK) from Brachypodium distachyon, was found to be a potential positive regulator in plant response to low K⁺ stress. The expression of BdCIPK31 was responsive to K⁺-deficiency, and overexpression of BdCIPK31 conferred enhanced tolerance to low K⁺ stress in transgenic tobaccos. Furthermore, BdCIPK31 was demonstrated to promote the K⁺ uptake in root, and could maintain normal root growth under K⁺-deficiency conditions. Additionally, BdCIPK31 functioned in scavenging excess reactive oxygen species (ROS), reduced oxidative damage caused by low K⁺ stress. Collectively, our study indicates that BdCIPK31 is a vital regulatory component in K⁺-acquisition system in plants.

Keywords: Brachypodium distachyon; CIPK; K(+) utilization; Nicotina tabacum; Potassium deficiency.