A maize phytochrome-interacting factor ZmPIF3 improves salt stress tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings

Abstract Soil salinization as a kind of natural stress causes soil desertification. High levels of Na + in the soil will induce the disorder of the internal environment, slow cellular metabolism, and alter the cellular architecture, severely affecting the yield and variety of crops. Maize as a salt-susceptible crop, is always injured by salt stress. So it has a guiding significance for maize breeding to study the molecular mechanism. It has been reported that PIF3 was involved in freezing tolerance, however, the relationship between PIF3 and stress tolerance is little known. In this study, two transcription version of ZmPIF3, ZmPIF3.1 and ZmPIF3.2 was used for the analysis of phenotype, physiology, biochemistry index, and transcriptome analysis. The result showed that ZmPIF3.1 over-expressed transgenic Arabidopsis has better salt tolerance, and displayed better ability to decompose peroxide and membrane damage. Transcriptome analysis showed hormones, Ca 2+ signaling, and transcription factors may be associated with salt stress response mediated by ZmPIF3.1 . Summarily, this study is the first study to demonstrate that ZmPIF3 can elevate plant salt tolerance, unveiling the new functional role of phytochrome-interacting factors.