A Prohibitin Family Gene (LpPHB3) Enhances Salt and Oxidative Stress Tolerance when Overexpressed in Lilium pumilum

LpPHB3 was overexpressed in transgenic Lilium pumilum under stress caused by treatment with 20 mM NaHCO3. Transgenic L. pumilum was more resistant to salt and oxidative stress than wild-type L. pumilum. The physiological indices of transgenic and wild-type L. pumilum were analysed and compared. To assess K+/Na+ homeostasis, the K+/Na+ ratios of the transgenic plants and wild-type plants under stress were compared. The intercellular ROS content and the expression of genes related to ROS (APX, CAT, AOX1a and NDB1) in transgenic plants and wild-type plants were compared. LpPHB3 overexpression reduced salt-induced damage in plants, possibly by reducing or eliminating excessive ROS in the plants. As PHB3 in plants has been relatively poorly studied, further study of LpPHB3 increases our understanding of the stress-associated function of this gene in Lilium. Furthermore, the stress tolerance of other plants can be improved by the introduction of this gene into these plants in the future. Two-month-old wild-type and transgenic seedlings were transferred to pots containing nutrient soil. After another 2 weeks of growth, the pots were irrigated with 50 mL of a 300 mA/NaCl, 300 mM NaHCO3 or 2 M H2O2 solution 3 times every 4 days. The pots were covered with a breathable plastic cover to minimize evaporation and maintain the concentration of the solution. Images of the plants were taken after 12 days of treatment. (C) 2020 Friends Science Publishers