A novel Dreb2-type gene from Carica papaya confers tolerance under abiotic stress

Abstract

The ethylene-responsive element-binding factors AP2/ERF compose one of the largest families oftranscription factors in plants. Dreb2-type gene from Carica papaya L. cv. Maradol was found to be a member of the AP2/ERF family and contains a conserved APE-TALA 2 (AP2) domain located within the group IV of theAP2/ERF superfamily. CpDreb2-type gene is differentiallyexpressed under stress by extreme temperatures. Moreover, genetic transformation of tobacco plants that overexpress the CpDreb2-type gene showed an increase amount of proline and a greater tolerance level to low and high temperature as well as drought experiments. CpDREB2-type protein::GFP is localized mainly in the nuclei of cells from specific organs such as roots and leaves in tobacco seedlings. Our results indicate that CpDreb2-type gene can be used to gain tolerance to extreme conditions of temperature and drought in other plants.