OsTZF1, a CCCH-tandem zinc finger protein gene, driven under own promoter produces no pleiotropic effects and confers salt and drought tolerance in rice.

Different abiotic stresses induce , a tandem CCCH-type zinc finger domain gene, in rice. Here, we report that transgenic rice plants overexpressing under own promoter (OX [for overexpression]) transferred to soil showed normal growth similar to vector control plants. The OX produced normal leaves without any lesion mimic phenotype and exhibited normal seed setting. The OX plants showed significantly increased tolerance to salt and drought stresses and enhanced post stress recovery. Microarray analysis revealed a total of 846 genes up-regulated and 360 genes down-regulated in OX salt-treated plants. Microarray analysis of OX plants showed the regulation of many abiotic stress tolerance genes. These results suggest that -OX under own promoter show abiotic stress tolerance and produces no pleiotropic effect on phenotype of transgenic rice plant.