TCP10, a TCP transcription factor in moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis), confers drought tolerance to transgenic plants

TCP transcription factors function as significant regulators in plant development and stress defense. In this study, a TCP transcription factor, TCP10, was isolated from moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis), and its expression level was induced under drought and abscisic acid (ABA)-treatment conditions. A distinct role in regulating drought-stress responses was identified. PeTCP10 conferred drought tolerance of transgenic Arabidopsis and rice as determined through phenotypic and stress-associated physiological indicators analysis, including relative water content, root growth, survival rate, germination rate, as well as malondialdehyde content. Additionally, ABA sensitivity decreased in transgenic Arabidopsis and rice compared with wild-type plants; over-expressing PeTCP10 in Arabidopsis promoted stomatal closure under ABA-treatment conditions, and ABA accumulated was non-significant difference between transgenic and wild-type Arabidopsis under drought condition. PeTCP10 inhibited lateral root growth via Me-JA (Methyl jasmonate) dependent pathway, while increasing taproot growth under continuous mannitol treatments during the seedling stage in transgenic Arabidopsis. RNA-sequencing revealed that PeTCP10 regulated the expression of a wide spectrum of stress-responsive DEGs. Yeast one hybrid and EMSA assays showed that stress-/ABA-responsive gene BT2 was the directly target gene of PeTCP10. Thus, PeTCP10 may have positive regulatory functions in the drought tolerance of plants through an ABA-dependent signaling pathway and negative in lateral root growth via Me-JA mediated pathway.