Identification and DREB1 Gene Expression Analysis in Response to Early Water Deficits in a Drought Tolerance Hybrid Maize Nakhon Sawan 3

Abstract

DREB1 (Dehydration-responsive element binding protein 1) gene expression analysis of drought tolerance Hybrid Maize Nakhon Sawan 3 cultivar under water depletion had been identified and analyzed by Annealing Control Primers (ACP)-based polymerase chain reaction and by Quantitative Real-Time polymerase chain reaction methods. The experiments were conducted at the Biotechnology Research and Development Office, Department of Agriculture during October 2011 to September 2014. To study the DREB1 gene expressed during drought stress, DREB1 gene sequence encoding 661 bp of transcription factor DREB1 and gene sequence encoding 519 bp of transcription factor AP2-EREBP DREB1 were isolated. Both sequences were deposited in the Genbank database with accession number KY678233 and KY678234, respectively. In addition,
comparative gene expression analysis of DREB1 gene in comparison to ABRE (ABAresponsive element) binding protein and Elongation Factors were analyzed. Furthermore, DREB1 gene expression profile of drought tolerance Nakhon Sawan 3 cultivar and the control plant at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hr under water depletions from three weeks old of maize leaves following early water deficits were analyzed in this study. Considering the Quantitative Real-Time-PCR analysis of DREB1, ABRE and eEF (the housekeeping gene), the
results showed that the gene expression level of DREB1 was higher than that of ABRE and eEF genes. This result suggested that transcription factors DREB1 genes were expressed during water depletions in drought tolerance hybrid Maize Nakhon Sawan 3. Based on these findings, this information may lead to the further study in molecular markers, and candidate genes for drought tolerance traits in plants in the future.