BPC1 and BPC2 positively regulates the waterlogging stress tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana

Abstract

Waterlogging stress is a significant abiotic factor that severely limits plant growth and development. Identifying genes involved in the waterlogging stress response and understanding the mechanisms by which plants resist waterlogging stress are therefore critical. In this study, we identified a specific role for two transcription factors, BPC1 and BPC2, in the waterlogging stress response of Arabidopsis thaliana. Waterlogging stress markedly upregulated the transcripts of BPC1 and BPC2 in Arabidopsis. Loss-of-function mutations in BPC1 and BPC2 decreased tolerance to waterlogging stress during the seedling growth stage. Physiological analyses demonstrated that the mutations of BPC1 and BPC2 aggravated waterlogging-induced increases in electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde (MDA) content and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) accumulation by modulating POD activity. Furthermore, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and dual-luciferase assays showed that BPC1 and BPC2 up-regulated the expression of peroxidase gene (Prx28). Collectively, our results indicate that BPC1 and BPC2 positively modulate Prx28 expression to affect the POD activity, modulating electrolyte leakage, MDA content and H₂O₂ accumulation under waterlogging stress. This study reveals the molecular mechanisms underlying waterlogging resistance in A. thaliana, providing new insights into this field.