Transgenic poplar expressing AtNDPK2 exhibits enhanced biomass in the LMO field

Nucleoside diphosphate kinase 2 (NDPK2) is known to regulate the expression of antioxidant genes and auxin-responsive genes in plants. Previously, it was noted that the overexpression of Arabidopsis NDPK2 (AtNDPK2) under the control of an oxidative stress-inducible SWPA2 promoter in transgenic poplar (Populus alba × P. tremular var. glandulosa) plants (referred to as SN plants) enhanced tolerance to oxidative stress and improved growth (Plant Biotechnol J 9: 34-347, 2011). In this study, growth of transgenic poplar was assessed under living modified organism (LMO) field conditions in terms of biomass in the next year. The growth of transgenic poplar plants increased in comparison with non-transgenic plants. The SN3 and SN4 transgenic lines had 1.6 and 1.2 times higher dry weight in stems than non-transgenic plants at 6 months after planting, respectively. Transgenic poplar also exhibited increased transcript levels of auxin-response genes such as IAA1, IAA2, IAA5 and IAA6. These results suggest that enhanced AtNDPK2 expression increases plant biomass in transgenic poplar through the regulation of auxin-response genes.