Biologia plantarum 2014, 58:274-282 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-013-0386-1

Characterization of AQP gene expressions in Brassica napus during seed germination and in response to abiotic stresses

F. W. Ge1, P. Tao1, Y. Zhang1, J. B. Wang1,*
1 State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, P.R. China

Water transport across the cell membranes is regulated largely by a family of proteins known as aquaporins (AQPs). Plasma membrane intrinsic protein (PIP) is an important subfamily of plant AQPs localized on the plasma membrane. To investigate the molecular mechanism of water regulation in seed germination, seven genes encoding PIP were initially cloned and sequenced from the germinating seed cDNA pool of Brassica napus. They belong to the PIP1 and PIP2 subfamilies. The transcription of the seven cloned genes plus three previously identified AQP genes from B. napus were analyzed in different organs and different stages of seed germination by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The results show that the expressions of the ten AQP genes were lower or scarcely detected in dry seeds, but were up-regulated during germination as well as in young seedlings. In addition, the expression of these ten AQP genes in response to an abiotic stress during seed germination was investigated and the results also show differential responses to abiotic stress treatments. Our findings suggest that these ten genes play different roles during plant development and response to abiotic stresses in B. napus.

Keywords: aquaporin; cold stress; oilseed rape; plasma membrane intrinsic protein; qRT-PCR; salinity; water stress
Subjects: AQP gene; germination; aquaporins; plasma membrane intrinsic protein; salinity; water stress; temperature - low; phylogenetic tree; polyethylene glycol; oilseed rape
Species: Brassica napus

Received: December 15, 2012; Revised: August 6, 2013; Accepted: August 21, 2013; Published: June 1, 2014Show citation

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Ge, F.W., Tao, P., Zhang, Y., & Wang, J.B. (2014). Characterization of AQP gene expressions in Brassica napus during seed germination and in response to abiotic stresses. Biologia plantarum, 58(2), 274-282. doi: 10.1007/s10535-013-0386-1.
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