A Cassava CPRF-2-like bZIP Transcription Factor Showed Increased Transcript Levels during Light Treatment.

BACKGROUND: bZIP proteins participate in the regulation of gene expression, playing crucial roles in various biological processes in plants, including response to environmental changes. Luminosity is an environmental factor of extreme importance for plant metabolism, acting as a regulator of its growth and development. Despite advances in the identification of bZIP proteins in several plant species, studies on these transcription factors in cassava are lacking. Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is one of the most important food crops in tropical and subtropical regions, mainly in developing countries, where its storage root is a major source of calories for low-income people. OBJECTIVES: Our main aim was the isolation of a cDNA sequence encoding a bZIP protein from cassava (MebZIP) as well as the in silico characterization of its nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences. In addition, we evaluated the expression pattern of the MebZIP gene in response to light, and its possible relationship with regulation of the chalcone synthase (MeCHS) gene. METHODS: RT-PCR and 3' and 5' RACE assays were used to isolate the full-length cDNA sequence of MebZIP. Bioinformatics tools were used to characterize the nucleotide and amino acid sequences of MebZIP. Semiquantitative RT-PCR assays were used to evaluate the expression levels of MebZIP and MeCHS genes. RESULTS: We isolated the full-length cDNA sequence of MebZIP with a 1320-bp ORF encoding a deduced protein with a predicted molecular weight and isoelectric point of 47 kDa and 5.85, respectively. Comparative analyses with GenBank sequences showed high identity of MebZIP with bZIP CPRF-2 of Hevea brasiliensis (XP_021650934) and Petroselinum crispum (Q99090.2). Besides the basic region and leucine zipper domains, MebZIP contains putative conserved domains (D1- D4), found in parsley CPRF-2 and bZIP proteins closely related to this protein. Since CPRF proteins are known for their function in regulation of the CHS gene by light, we evaluated the expression levels of the MebZIP gene and the possible target gene to be regulated by MebZIP (the MeCHS gene) in cassava under light conditions. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR assays revealed that MebZIP transcription increased in response to white light, with maximum expression levels at 6 h of light exposure. On the other hand, the expression levels of the MeCHS gene were statistically constant in all samples, indicating that they were not influenced by the experimental conditions used here. CONCLUSION: The putative MebZIP protein identified in this work contains the conserved domains (bZIP, D1-D4) that indicate its functionality, thus allowing it to be considered a new member of the bZIP transcription factor CPRF-2 family. The expression levels of the MebZIP gene increased during white light exposure, indicating a potential function in light-response in cassava.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a cassava translationally controlled tumor protein gene potentially related to salt stress response.

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is one of the most important tropical crops showing tolerance to abiotic stress and adaptations to a wide range of environmental conditions. Here, we aimed to isolate and characterize the full-length cDNA and genomic sequences of a cassava translationally controlled tumor protein gene (MeTCTP), and evaluate its potential role in response to salt stress. The MeTCTP full-length cDNA sequence encodes for a deduced protein with 168 amino acid residues, with theoretical isoelectric point and molecular weight of 4.53 and 19 kDa, respectively, containing two putative signatures of TCTP family and one site for myristoylation. The MeTCTP genomic sequence includes four introns and five exons within a 1,643 bp coding region, and a 264 bp partial promoter sequence containing several putative cis-acting regulatory elements, among them, two putative GT-1 motifs, which may be related to response to sodium chloride (NaCl) and pathogen infection. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR assays showed that MeTCTP transcripts were higher in roots than leaves, and were significantly increased in detached leaves treated with NaCl. Furthermore, the recombinant MeTCTP conferred a protective function against salt stress in bacterial cells. We report for the first time the molecular cloning and characterization of a cassava TCTP with potential role in salt-stress response. Since salinity is one the most important abiotic factors affecting the production of crops worldwide, the MeTCTP gene could be a candidate gene for generation of salt tolerant crops.