Authors: Concepción Almoguera JoséMaría Personat Pilar PrietoDapena Juan Jordano
Publish Date: 2015/05/29
Volume: 242, Issue: 2, Pages: 461-475
Abstract
Transcription factors normally expressed in sunflower seeds delayed vegetative senescence induced by severe stress in transgenic tobacco This revealed a novel connection between seed heat shock factors desiccation tolerance and vegetative longevityHaHSFA9 and HaHSFA4a coactivate a genetic program that in sunflower Helianthus annuus L contributes to seed longevity and desiccation tolerance We have shown that overexpression of HaHSFA9 in transgenic tobacco seedlings resulted in tolerance to drastic dehydration and oxidative stress Overexpression of HaHSFA9 alone was linked to a remarkable protection of the photosynthetic apparatus In addition the combined overexpression of HaHSFA9 and HaHSFA4a enhanced all these stressresistance phenotypes Here we find that HaHSFA9 confers protection against damage induced by different stress conditions that accelerate vegetative senescence during different stages of development Seedlings and plants that overexpress HaHSFA9 survived lethal treatments of darkinduced senescence HaHSFA9 overexpression induced resistance to effects of culture under darkness for several weeks Only some homoiochlorophyllous resurrection plants are able to withstand this experimental severe stress condition The combined overexpression of HaHSFA9 and HaHSFA4a did not result in further slowing of darkinduced seedling senescence However combined expression of the two transcription factors caused improved recovery of the photosynthetic organs of seedlings after lethal dark treatments At later stages of vegetative development HaHSFA9 delayed the appearance of senescence symptoms in leaves of plants grown under normal illumination This delay was observed under either control or stress treatments Thus HaHSFA9 delayed both natural and stressinduced leaf senesce These novel observations connect transcription factors involved in desiccation tolerance with leaf longevity
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