Transgenic Tobacco Plants Overexpressing a wheat Salt Stress Root Protein (TaSSRP) Exhibit Enhanced Tolerance to Heat Stress

Abstract

Abstract Heat stress is a detrimental abiotic stress that limits the development of many plant species and is linked to a variety of cellular and physiological problems. In this study, gene TaSSRP from the heat stress-tolerant wheat genotype Raj 3765 was functionally validated in transgenic tobacco for heat stress tolerance. The Relative Water Content (RWC), total chlorophyll content, and Membrane Stability Index (MSI) of the seven distinct transgenic lines (T0 − 2, T0 − 3, T0 − 6, T0 − 8, T0 − 9, T0 − 11, and T0 − 13), increased in response to heat stress. Despite the fact that the same tendency was detected in wild-type (WT) plants, changes in physio-biochemical parameters were greater in transgenic lines than in WT plants. The expression analysis revealed that the transgene TaSSRP expressed from 1.00 to 1.809 folds in different lines in the transgenic tobacco plants. The gene TaSSRP offered resistance to heat stress in Nicotiana tabacum, according to the results of the study. These findings could help to improve our knowledge and understanding of the mechanism underlying thermotolerance in wheat, and the novel identified gene TaSSRP could be used in generating wheat varieties with enhanced tolerance to heat stress.