%0 Journal Article
%T Drought Tolerance Enhancement with Co-Overexpression of DREB2A and APX in Indica Rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.)
%A Jagtap Sandhya
%A Talakayala Ashwini
%A Ravula Manisha
%A Mahankali Vinodha
%A Ankanagari Srinivas
%J American Journal of Plant Sciences
%P 234-258
%@ 2158-2750
%D 2021
%I Scientific Research Publishing
%R 10.4236/ajps.2021.122014
%X Rice<b> </b><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">is a major cereal crop providing food
and energy to more than half of world¡¯s population and drought is a challenging
abiotic stress limiting rice production</span><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">.</span><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\"> Engineering drought tolerance trait is a major
bottle neck because of multigenic control and complex nature. Two promising
candidate genes utilized in engineering drought tolerance include DREB2A
transcription factor (a master regulator of downstream stress inducible genes)
and APX (an important ROS scavenging enzyme). Overexpression of DREB genes ha</span><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">s</span><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\"> shown encouraging results
but with </span><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">a </span><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">negative impact on plant morphology and production. Moreover,
co-expression of DREB2A and APX genes</span><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">¡¯</span><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\"> influence on drought stress has not been studied. Hence, in the present
study</span><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">,</span><span style=\"font-family:;\" \"=\"\"><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\"> overexpression of single genes DREB2A or APX and co-expression of these genes
were studied for enhancement of drought tolerance in indica rice. Both genes
under control of CaMV 35S promoter were transferred by </span><i><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">Agrobacterium</span></i><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\"> transformation into rice variety BPT5204 popular for
slender grains in South India. Confirmation of T-DNA integration into rice
genome was done with PCR analysis of transgenes. Homozygous transgenic lines of
DREB2A, </span><span><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">APX and DREB2A-APX generated in T</span><sub><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">3</span></sub><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\"> generation were evaluated for</span></span><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\"> drought tolerance during seed germination,
vegetative and reproductive stages. In seed germination stage, transgenic lines
exhibited higher germination rates on 200</span></span><span style=\"font-family:;\" \"=\"\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">mM mannitol MS medium in comparison to WT</span><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">.</span><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\"> In vegetative stage,
with-holding water for 7 days transgenic lines exhibited higher chlorophyll,
proline, reducing sugars and enhanced activities of
%K APX
%K DREB2A
%K Reactive Oxygen Species
%K Transgenic Rice
%K Drought Tolerance
%U http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=107464