환경 스트레스에 관여하는 애기장대 BLH 8, BEL1-Like Homeodomain 8의 기능 분석

Functional characterization of Arabidopsis thaliana BLH 8, BEL1-Like Homeodomain 8 involved in environmental stresses

High salinity is a common stress condition that adversely affects plant growth and crop production. In response to various environmental stresses, plants activate a number of defense genes that function to increase the tolerance. To isolate Arabidopsis genes that are involved in abiotic stress responses, we carried out genetic screening using various mutant lines. Among them, the blh8 (BEL1-Like Homeodomain 8) mutant specifically shows chlorotic phenotypes to ionic (specifically, Na+ and K+) stresses, but no differences in root growth. In addition, BLH8 is related to plant development and abiotic stress as predicted by a Graphical Gaussian Model (GGM) network program. It implies that BLH8 functions as a putative transcription factor related to abiotic stress responses. Collectively, our results show that gene network analysis is a useful tool for isolating genes involved in stress adaptation in plants.