Overexpression of the mitochondrial PPR40 gene improves salt tolerance in Arabidopsis

• Published in: Plant science (Limerick) Vol. 182; pp. 87 - 93
• Main Authors: Zsigmond, Laura, Szepesi, Ágnes, Tari, Irma, Rigó, Gábor, Király, Annamária, Szabados, László
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier Ireland Ltd 2012
• Subjects: Arabidopsis; Arabidopsis - genetics; Arabidopsis - metabolism; Arabidopsis Proteins - biosynthesis; Arabidopsis Proteins - genetics; Data processing; Electron Transport; Environmental conditions; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Gene overexpression; Genes, Plant; Germination; Hydrogen peroxide; L-Ascorbate peroxidase; Lipid peroxidation; Mitochondria; Mitochondria - genetics; Mitochondria - metabolism; Mitochondrial Proteins - biosynthesis; Mitochondrial Proteins - genetics; Mitochondrion; Oxidative Stress; Plant protection; Plants, Genetically Modified; PPR40; Proline; Reactive oxygen species; Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism; Respiration; Salinity; Salt tolerance; Salt-Tolerance - genetics; Salts; Sodium Chloride - pharmacology; Stress; Superoxide dismutase; Mitochondrion; Gene overexpression; Salt tolerance; PPR40; Reactive oxygen species; Arabidopsis
• ISSN: 0168-9452; 1873-2259
• DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2011.07.008

► Overexpression of PPR40 improves salt tolerance of Arabidopsis plants. ► PPR40 can stabilize mitochondrial respiration in Arabidopsis during salt stress. ► PPR40 controls electron transport and ROS production in stress conditions. ► PPR40 modulates proline metabolism. Mitochondrial respiration is sensitive to environmental conditions and can be influenced by abiotic stress. Previously we described the Arabidopsis mitochondrial pentatricopeptide repeat domain protein PPR40, and showed that the stress hypersensitive ppr40-1 mutant is compromised in mitochondrial electron transport (Zsigmond et al., 2008) [20]. Overexpression of the PPR40 gene in Arabidopsis resulted in enhanced germination and superior plant growth in saline conditions. Respiration increased in PPR40 overexpressing plants during salt stress. Reduced amount of hydrogen peroxide, diminished lipid peroxidation, lower ascorbate peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activity accompanied salt tolerance. Proline accumulation was enhanced in the ppr40-1 mutant, but unaltered in the PPR40 overexpressing plants. Our data suggest that PPR40 can diminish the generation of reactive oxygen species by stabilizing the mitochondrial electron transport and protecting plants via reducing oxidative damage during stress.