College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, 88 South University Ave, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
Plant Mol Biol. 2015 Mar;87(4-5):413-28. doi: 10.1007/s11103-015-0288-z. Epub 2015 Jan 31.
Phytochrome-interacting factor 3 (PIF3) activates light-responsive transcriptional network genes in coordination with the circadian clock and plant hormones to modulate plant growth and development. However, little is known of the roles PIF3 plays in the responses to abiotic stresses. In this study, the cloning and functional characterization of the ZmPIF3 gene encoding a maize PIF3 protein is reported. Subcellular localization revealed the presence of ZmPIF3 in the cell nucleus. Expression patterns revealed that ZmPIF3 is expressed strongly in leaves. This expression responds to polyethylene glycol, NaCl stress, and abscisic acid application, but not to cold stress. ZmPIF3 under the control of the ubiquitin promoter was introduced into rice. No difference in growth and development between ZmPIF3 transgenic and wild-type plants was observed under normal growth conditions. However, ZmPIF3 transgenic plants were more tolerant to dehydration and salt stresses. ZmPIF3 transgenic plants had increased relative water content, chlorophyll content, and chlorophyll fluorescence, as well as significantly enhanced cell membrane stability under stress conditions. The over-expression of ZmPIF3 increased the expression of stress-responsive genes, such as Rab16D, DREB2A, OSE2, PP2C, Rab21, BZ8 and P5CS, as detected by real-time PCR analysis. Taken together, these results improve our understanding of the role ZmPIF3 plays in abiotic stresses signaling pathways; our findings also indicate that ZmPIF3 regulates the plant response to drought and salt stresses.
光形态建成互作因子 3（PIF3）与生物钟和植物激素协同激活光响应转录网络基因，从而调节植物的生长和发育。然而，人们对 PIF3 在非生物胁迫响应中的作用知之甚少。本研究报告了玉米 PIF3 蛋白编码基因 ZmPIF3 的克隆和功能特征。亚细胞定位显示 ZmPIF3 存在于细胞核中。表达模式表明 ZmPIF3 在叶片中强烈表达。这种表达对聚乙二醇、NaCl 胁迫和脱落酸处理有反应，但对冷胁迫没有反应。在泛素启动子的控制下，ZmPIF3 被导入水稻。在正常生长条件下，ZmPIF3 转基因和野生型植物在生长和发育方面没有差异。然而，ZmPIF3 转基因植物对脱水和盐胁迫更耐受。在胁迫条件下，ZmPIF3 转基因植物的相对含水量、叶绿素含量和叶绿素荧光增加，细胞膜稳定性显著增强。实时 PCR 分析显示，ZmPIF3 的过表达增加了应激响应基因如 Rab16D、DREB2A、OSE2、PP2C、Rab21、BZ8 和 P5CS 的表达。总之，这些结果提高了我们对 ZmPIF3 在非生物胁迫信号通路中作用的认识；我们的研究结果还表明，ZmPIF3 调节植物对干旱和盐胁迫的响应。
