Overexpression of <scp>RNA</scp> ?binding bacterial chaperones in rice leads to stay?green phenotype, improved yield and tolerance to salt and drought stresses

Genes encoding bacterial cold shock proteins A (CspA, 213 bp) and B (CspB, 216 were isolated from Escherichia coli strain K12, which showed 100% homology with gene sequences other species. In silico domain, analysis eukaryotic conserved domain (CSD) ribonuclease-binding (RBD) indicating that they bind to RNA are involved in temperature stress tolerance. Overexpression of these two genes E. resulted higher growth presence 200 mM NaCl 300 mannitol. Western blot confirmed the translational products genes. Seedlings indica rice transformed Agrobacterium tumefaciens containing pCAMBIA1301 CspA CspB Transgene integration was by ?-glucuronidase (GUS) histochemical assay, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, copy number Southern blotting. Chlorophyll, proline, Na+, K+ contents transgenics exposed 150 drought (imposed withholding water) stresses during floral initiation stage. Catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) activities increased, while malondialdehyde (MDA) content low transgenics. Transgenics displayed increased root, shoot, panicle lengths, root dry mass, a distinct stay-green (SGR) phenotype. Higher transcript levels CspA, CspB, SGR, chlorophyllase, isopentenyl adenine transferase 1 (IPT1), 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED), SOD, sirtuin (SIRT1) observed compared wild type plants (WT) under multiple stresses. Present work indicates chaperone capable imparting SGR phenotype, salt tolerance alongside grain improvement.