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Overexpression of transcription factor ZmPTF1 improves low phosphate tolerance of maize by regulating carbon metabolism and root growth

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An Erratum to this article was published on 24 March 2011

Abstract

A bHLH (basic helix-loop-helix domain) transcription factor involved in tolerance to Pi starvation was cloned from Zea mays with an RT-PCR coupled RACE approach and named ZmPTF1. ZmPTF1 encoded a putative protein of 481 amino acids that had identity with OsPTF1 in basic region. Real-time RT-PCR revealed that ZmPTF1 was quickly and significantly up-regulated in the root under phosphate starvation conditions. Overexpression of ZmPTF1 in maize improved root development, enhanced biomass both in hydroponic cultures and sand pots, and the plants developed more tassel branches and larger kernels when they were grown in low phosphate soil. Compared with wild type, overexpressing ZmPTF1 altered the concentrations of soluble sugars in transgenic plants, in which soluble sugars levels were lower in the leaves and higher in the roots. Overexpression of ZmPTF1 enhanced the expression of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase and sucrose phosphate synthase1 participated in sucrose synthesis in the leaves but decreased them in the root, and reduced the expression of genes involved in sucrose catabolism in the roots. The modifications on the physiology and root morphology of the plants enhanced low phosphate tolerance and increased the yield under low phosphate conditions. This research provides a useful gene for transgenic breeding of maize that is tolerant to phosphate deficiency and is helpful for exploring the relationship between sugar signaling and phosphate concentrations in cells.

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Abbreviations

RACE:

Rapid-amplification of cDNA ends

bHLH:

Basic helix-loop-helix domain

ORF:

Open reading frame

SP:

Sufficient phosphate nutrient solution

LP:

Low phosphate nutrient solution

Pi:

Phosphate

Als :

Acetolactate synthase gene

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Roberta Greenwood (Shandong University, Shandong, China) for her critical reading of the manuscript. This research was supported by National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program,2009CB118400) and Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30771127).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Life Science, Shandong University, 27 Shanda South Road, 250100, Jinan, People’s Republic of China

    Zhaoxia Li, Qiang Gao, Yazheng Liu, Chunmei He, Xinrui Zhang & Juren Zhang

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  1. Zhaoxia Li
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  2. Qiang Gao
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  3. Yazheng Liu
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  4. Chunmei He
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  5. Xinrui Zhang
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  6. Juren Zhang
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Correspondence to Juren Zhang.

Additional information

An erratum to this article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00425-011-1404-1

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Li, Z., Gao, Q., Liu, Y. et al. Overexpression of transcription factor ZmPTF1 improves low phosphate tolerance of maize by regulating carbon metabolism and root growth. Planta 233, 1129–1143 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-011-1368-1

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