抄録
Plants respond and adapt to abiotic stress including drought through molecular as well as physiological processes. Drought stress induces a variety of genes at transcriptional level. Their gene products function in stress tolerance and response. We have been carrying out global analysis of expression profiles of drought-inducible genes, and functional analysis of their products in stress tolerance. We have identified several different regulatory systems in stress-responsive gene expression, two are ABA-dependent and two are ABA-independent. In one of the ABA-independent pathways, a cis-acting element (DRE/CRT) and its binding proteins, DREB2 with AP2 domain, are important in stress-responsive gene expression. NAC, bZIP (AREB/ABF), and MYC/MYB transcription factors are involved in ABA-dependent pathways. Signal transduction cascades in dehydration and ABA responses were also studied. We have been using stress-inducible genes to improve drought tolerance in transgenic plants. Recently, we are collaborating with CGAIR centers to develop drought tolerant crops.
