Expression of a Dehydrin from the Polar Plant Cerastium arcticum in Transgenic Tobacco

Water scarcity induced by drought, temperature, and salinity has plagued agricultural sustainability in recent years with unprecedented revenue losses, raising concerns for worldwide food security. Recent studies have revealed unique botanical response mechanisms to combat water related stress, namely the expression of proteins known as the dehydrins. Dehydrin proteins have been shown to serve various intracellular protective functions. The gene for a SK5 type dehydrin from the arctic plant Cerastium arcticum (CaDHN) was introduced into tobacco plants and water deficit tolerance was evaluated. Plants overexpressing CaDHN displayed improved tolerance to salt stress, but no improvement was observed under drought stress.