EXPRESSION PATTERNS OF AN ABIOTIC STRESS-INDUCIBLE ETHYLENE RESPONSIVE FACTOR-4 GENE, LeERF4, IN TOMATO

Abstract

A full length cDNA encoding Lycopersicum esculentum ethylene responsive factor-4 (designated as LeERF4) was isolated and investigated the expression pattern of LeERF4 in tomato plant under different abiotic stresses from the tomato plant. Phylogenetic analysis based on the deduced amino acid sequence of the LeERF4 cDNA from tomato revealed a high sequence similarity to other ethylene responsive genes. Southern blot analysis showed that LeERF4 is a duplicate copy gene in the tomato genome. The organ specific expression profiling indicated that LeERF4 was expressed in all tested organs. The highest expression was found in young leaves and flowers compared to other tested organs. Northern blot analysis revealed that various environmental stresses such as salt, drought, coldness, ethylene and MY induced significant expression of LeERF4 but not expressed by the treatment of ABA. These results suggested that the LcERF4 plays an important role in tomato responses to abiotic stress and may be useful in improving plant tolerance to abiotic stress