Molecular cloning and functional characterization of a DREB1/CBF-like gene (GhDREB1L) from cotton

The transcription factors DREB1s/CBFs play important roles in the regulation of plant resistance to environmental stresses and are quite useful for generating transgenic plants tolerant to these stresses. In the present work, a cDNA encoding DREB1/CBF-like protein (GhDREB1L) from cotton was isolated, and its sequence features, DNA binding preference, and expression patterns of the transcripts were also characterized. GhDREB1L contained one conserved AP2/ERF domain and its amino acid sequence was similar to the DREB1/CBF group of the DREB family from other plants. The DNA-binding domain of GhDREB1L was successfully expressed as a fusion protein in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) and purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay revealed that the purified GhDREB1L fusion protein had a specific binding activity with the previously characterized DRE element (core sequence, ACCGAC) and also with the DRE-like sequence (core sequence, GCCGAC) in the promoter of the dehydration-responsive late embryogenesis-abundant gene LEA D113. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR showed that GhDREB1L was induced in the cotton cotyledons by low temperature, as well as drought and NaCl treatments. These results suggested that the novel cotton GhDREB1L might play an important role in response to low temperature as well as drought and high salinity through binding to the DRE cis-element.