Plant molecular responses to drought

Molecular studies have shown that several genes with various functions are induced by environmental stresses such as drought, high-salinity and low temperature in plants. Most of the dehydration responsive genes are induced by the plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA), but others are not. Expression analyses of dehydration-responsive genes have provided at least four independent regulatory systems (regulons) for gene expression in a model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. The cis- acting elements in the promoters of some genes that have a typical stress-inducible expression profile and the transcription factors that affect the expression of these genes have been analyzed. Transcription factors that bind to a DRE/CRT (Dehydration-responsive Element / C-Repeat) cis-acting element were isolated and termed DREB1/CBF (DRE-binding protein 1/ C-repeat Binding Factor) and DREB2 (DRE-binding protein 2). Overexpression of DREB1/CBF in transgenic Arabidopsis plants increased tolerance to freezing, drought and high salt concentrations. The DREB1/CBF genes have been successfully used to improve abiotic stress tolerance in a number of different crop plants. Studies on the other transcription factors associated with stress response are in progress. It is expected that the results of these studies will contribute to the sustainable food production in developing countries and help to prevent the global-scale environmental damage.