Overexpression of Nicotiana tabacum HSP17.6 Enhances Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Brassica napus

Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) are ubiquitous and play critical roles in plant development by protect them against biotic and abiotic stresses. However, the reports suggesting the role of sHSPs in Brassica napus against stress resistance are surprisingly rare. Here we isolated sHSP17.6 from Nicotiana tabacum and explore its function in B. napus under different abiotic stresses. Phylogenetic analysis and subcellular localization prediction revealed that NtHSP 17. 6 is a cytosolic class I protein. B. napus plants overexpressing NtHSP 17.6 exhibited high expression level, water content, proline, soluble sugar and chlorophyll content than wild type under heat stress. Similarly, normal root growth and more leaves biomass were observed in B. napus overexpressing NtHSP 17.6 under salt and drought stresses. These overexpression analyses suggested that NtHSP 17.6 in B. napus confers high resistance against heat, drought and slightly towards salt stress. These findings will be helpful to develop economic stress tolerant crops and avert yield loss. (C) 2020 Friends Science Publishers