Novel Stress Tolerance Gene From Jatropha

Extreme environmental conditions like low water availability, extremely high and low temperatures and high salinity restrict plant productivity. During stress, plants produce numerous compounds to protect themselves. One such compound is glycinebetaine (GB). It maintains protein and membrane integrity during drought conditions by acting as an osmoprotectant. GB is widespread in angiosperms (flowering plants), where they contribute to salt tolerance by maintaining cell turgor pressure and protecting the photosynthetic machineries.

Scientists from the Sichuan University in China identified the gene JcBd1 that codes for betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (key enzyme in GB biosynthesis) from the shrub Jatropha curcas, which is implicated in adaptation to environmental stress. Jatropha has recently attracted attention as its seeds are being used as a raw material for biodiesels. E. coli strains functionally expressing JcBd1 show increased resistance to abiotic stressors like increased salt concentration. JcBD1 might be a good candidate for engineering the GB synthesis pathway in plants. This may pave the way for the development of varieties tolerant to extreme environmental conditions.

The paper published by the journal Plant Science is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.plantsci.2008.01.018