Functional Characterization of Rubisco Activase Genes in Kandelia candel Under the Stress of Flooding and Salinity

Jianhong Xing, Dezhuo Pan, Changfu Li, Shufeng Yan, Wei Chen, Juncheng Zhang () and Yansheng Zhang ()
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Jianhong Xing: Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Monitoring and Sustainable Management and Utilization, Medical Plant Exploitation and Utilization Engineering Research Center, School of Resources and Chemical Engineering, Sanming University, Sanming 365004, China
Dezhuo Pan: Rice Research Institute, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou 350018, China
Changfu Li: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Bio-Energy Crops, Synthetic Biology Research Center, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
Shufeng Yan: Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Monitoring and Sustainable Management and Utilization, Medical Plant Exploitation and Utilization Engineering Research Center, School of Resources and Chemical Engineering, Sanming University, Sanming 365004, China
Wei Chen: College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
Juncheng Zhang: Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Monitoring and Sustainable Management and Utilization, Medical Plant Exploitation and Utilization Engineering Research Center, School of Resources and Chemical Engineering, Sanming University, Sanming 365004, China
Yansheng Zhang: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Bio-Energy Crops, Synthetic Biology Research Center, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 21, 1-17

Abstract: Rubisco activase (RCA) is an ATP-dependent enzyme that plays a crucial role in plant stress responses by regulating the catalytic activity of Rubisco. However, the alternative splicing and functional characteristics of the RCA gene exhibit notable species-specific diversity. The variable splice forms and functions of the RCA gene in mangrove plants remain poorly understood. Herein, we cloned the RCA cDNA in the leaves of mangrove plant Kandelia candel (L.) in response to combined flooding and salinity stress, and performed systematic expression analysis and functional validation. Our results demonstrated that the RCA gene undergoes alternative splicing to produce two isoforms, designated as KcRCA l (GenBank accession: MG492021) and KcRCA s (GenBank accession: MG492022), respectively. The KcRCA l encodes a 440-amino acid protein (42.49 kDa) belonging to the β-isoforms, while KcRCA s encodes a 474-amino acid protein (46.10 kDa) classified as the α-isoforms. Moreover, protein structure analysis revealed that both isoforms contain phosphorylation and lysine acetylation modification sites. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that KcRCA shares the closest evolutionary relationship with RCA from Cicer arietinum (chickpea) and Durio zibethinus (durian). Furthermore, RT-qPCR analysis revealed that the expression levels of KcRCA l and KcRCA s were significantly upregulated in K. Candel leaves under the combined stress condition. The following functional validation studies in transgenic Arabidopsis demonstrated that overexpression of the KcRCA cDNA enhances the plant’s tolerance to resist flooding and salinity stress while improving antioxidant capacity and increasing RCA and Rubisco activity, thereby maintaining photosynthetic efficiency under combined flooding and salinity stress. Our study not only provides new experimental evidence for understanding the molecular mechanisms of plant flooding and salinity stress, but also offers theoretical foundations for breeding flooding- and salinity-tolerant crops.

Keywords: Kandelia candel; flooding and salinity; combined stress; rubisco activase; gene cloning; functional analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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