Ectopic expression of nucleolar DEAD-Box RNA helicaseOsTOGR1confers improved heat stress tolerance in transgenic Chinese cabbage

Key message The DEAD-Box RNA helicase OsTOGR1positively regulates heat stress tolerance in Chinese cabbage. Non-heading Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapaL. ssp.chinensis) is primarily cultivated vegetable crop in Asian countries. Heat stress is one of the major threats for its growth and yield. Numerous regulatory genes in various crops have shown to contribute thermotolerance. Among them, Thermotolerant growth required 1 (TOGR1) is an important DEAD-box RNA helicase. To examine whether its role is conserved in other crops, we constructedpCAMBIA1300-pHSP:OsTOGR1expression vector driven by the rice small heat shock protein promoter (pHSP17.9) and successfully produced transgenic non-heading Chinese cabbage plants expressingOsTOGR1gene viaAgrobacterium-mediated vacuum infiltration transformation.In total, we generated three independent transgenic cabbage lines expressingTOGR1gene. Expression and integration ofTOGR1was confirmed by PCR, RT-PCR and qPCR in T(1)and T(2)generations. The relative leaf electrical conductivity of transgenic seedlings was reduced subjected to high temperature (38 degrees C) compared to heat shock treatment (46 degrees C). In addition, hypocotyl length of transgenic seedlings increased compared to wild-type plants under high temperature and heat shock treatment. Furthermore, the transgenic plants exhibited higher chlorophyll content than wild-type plants under high temperature and heat shock treatment. The transgenic seeds displayed better germination under heat shock treatment. Tested heat stress-responsive genes were also up-regulated in the transgenic plants subjected to high temperature or heat shock treatment. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on describing the role of DAED-Box RNA helicases in improving heat stress tolerance of transgenic plants.