Overexpression of calmodulin-like (ShCML44) stress-responsive gene from Solanum habrochaites enhances tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses

Calmodulin-like (CML) proteins are important Ca2+ sensors, which play significant role in mediating plant stress tolerance. In the present study, cold responsive calmodulin-like (ShCML44) gene was isolated from cold tolerant wild tomato (Solanum habrochaites), and functionally characterized. The ShCML44 was differentially expressed in all plant tissues including root, stem, leaf, flower and fruit, and was strongly up-regulated under cold, drought and salinity stresses along with plant growth hormones. Under cold stress, progressive increase in the expression of ShCML44 was observed particularly in cold-tolerant S. habrochaites. The ShCML44-overexpressed plants showed greater tolerance to cold, drought, and salinity stresses, and recorded higher germination and better seedling growth. Transgenic tomato plants demonstrated higher antioxidant enzymes activity, gas exchange and water retention capacity with lower malondialdehyde accumulation and membrane damage under cold and drought stresses compared to wild-type. Moreover, transgenic plants exhibited reduced reactive oxygen species and higher relative water contents under cold and drought stress, respectively. Greater stress tolerance of transgenic plants was further reflected by the up-/down-regulation of stress-related genes including SOD, GST, CAT, POD, LOX, PR and ERD. In crux, these results strengthen the molecular understanding of ShCML44 gene to improve the abiotic stress tolerance in tomato.