SbbHLH85, a bHLH Member, Modulates Resilience to Salt Stress by Regulating Root Hair Growth in Sweet Sorghum
March 2021
in “
Research Square (Research Square)
”
TLDR The SbbHLH85 protein helps sweet sorghum grow more root hairs but makes the plant more sensitive to salt.
The study from March 22, 2021, investigated the role of the SbbHLH85 protein, a member of the bHLH transcription factor family, in sweet sorghum's response to salt stress. The research found that SbbHLH85 is an atypical bHLH transcription factor crucial for root development in sweet sorghum. CRISPR-Cas9 knockout of SbbHLH85 led to inhibited root development, while overexpression of SbbHLH85 significantly increased the number and length of root hairs by interacting with ABA and auxin signaling pathways, enhancing Na+ absorption. However, SbbHLH85 was also found to negatively regulate salt tolerance in sorghum. A potential interaction partner of SbbHLH85, the phosphate transporter chaperone PHF1, was identified, which affects phosphate distribution. This interaction was confirmed through yeast two-hybrid and BiFC experiments. The study concluded that the increased Na+ content and decreased Pi content due to SbbHLH85 activity result in increased salt sensitivity in transgenic sorghum.
