Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33129252›Full record

ArticleBMC plant biology2020

Yellow nutsedge WRI4-like gene improves drought tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana by promoting cuticular wax biosynthesis.

Chao Cheng, Shutong Hu, Yun Han, Di Xia, Bang-Lian Huang, Wenhua Wu, Jamshaid Hussain, Xuekun Zhang, Bangquan Huang

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC plant biology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
2.3field-weighted citation impact, top 11% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 17 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Genome-Wide Identification ofPlants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Chao ChengState Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, College of Life Science, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China.
Shutong HuState Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, College of Life Science, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China.
Yun HanState Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, College of Life Science, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China.
Di XiaState Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, College of Life Science, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China.
Bang-Lian HuangState Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, College of Life Science, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China.
Wenhua WuState Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, College of Life Science, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China.
Jamshaid HussainBiotechnology Department, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus 22060, University Road, Abbottabad, Pakistan.
Xuekun ZhangHubei Key Laboratory of Waterlogging Disaster and Agricultural Use of Wetland, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, 434023, China. zhang.xk@139.com.
Bangquan HuangState Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, College of Life Science, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China. huangbangquan@163.com.
Hubei University · CNCOMSATS University Islamabad · PKYangtze University · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCuticular wax plays important role in protecting plants from drought stress. In Arabidopsis WRI4 improves drought tolerance by regulating the biosynthesis of fatty acids and cuticular wax. Cyperus esculentus (yellow nutsedge) is a tough weed found in tropical and temperate zones as well as in cooler regions. In the current study, we report the molecular cloning of a WRI4-like gene from Cyperus esculentus and its functional characterization in Arabidopsis.

resultsUsing RACE PCR, full-length WRI-like gene was amplified from yellow nutsedge. Phylogenetic analyses and amino acid comparison suggested it to be a WRI4-like gene. According to the tissue-specific expression data, the highest expression of WRI4-like gene was found in leaves, followed by roots and tuber. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing nutsedge WRI4-like gene manifested improved drought stress tolerance. Transgenic lines showed significantly reduced stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, chlorophyll leaching, water loss and improved water use efficiency (WUE). In the absence of drought stress, expression of key genes for fatty acid biosynthesis was not significantly different between transgenic lines and WT while that of cuticular wax biosynthesis genes was significantly higher in transgenic lines than WT. The PEG-simulated drought stress significantly increased expression of key genes for fatty acid as well as wax biosynthesis in transgenic Arabidopsis lines but not in WT plants. Consistent with the gene expression data, cuticular wax load and deposition was significantly higher in stem and leaves of transgenic lines compared with WT under control as well as drought stress conditions.

conclusionsWRI4-like gene from Cyperus esculentus improves drought tolerance in Arabidopsis probably by promoting cuticular wax biosynthesis and deposition. This in turn lowers chlorophyll leaching, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, water loss and improves water use efficiency under drought stress conditions. Therefore, CeWRI4-like gene could be a good candidate for improving drought tolerance in crops.

Indexed as

ArabidopsisChlorophyllCyperusDehydrationFatty AcidsGenes, PlantPhylogenyPlant EpidermisPlant LeavesPlant ProteinsPlants, Genetically ModifiedPlant TranspirationReal-Time Polymerase Chain ReactionWaxesChlorophyllFatty AcidsPlant ProteinsWaxesCuticular wax biosynthesisCyperus esculentusDrought toleranceGene expressionWRI4-like gene

Identifiers

PMID33129252
PMCPMC7603781
OpenAlexW3095660427

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.