A novel rice C2H2-type zinc finger protein lacking DLN-box/EAR-motif plays a role in salt tolerance

A cDNA for the gene ZFP182, encoding a C2H2-type zinc finger protein, was cloned from rice by RT-PCR. ZFP182 codes an 18.2 kDa protein with two C2H2-type zinc finger motifs, one nuclear localization signal and one Leu-rich domain. The DLN-box/EAR-motif, which exists in most of plant C2H2-type zinc finger proteins, does not exist in ZFP182. The expression analysis showed that ZFP182 gene was constitutively expressed in leaves, culms, roots and spikes at the adult rice plants, and markedly induced in the seedlings by cold (4 degrees C), 150 mM NaCl and 0.1 mM ABA treatments. The approximate 1.4 kb promoter region of ZFP182 gene was fused into GUS reporter gene and transformed into tobacco. The histochemical analysis revealed that GUS expression could not be detected in transformed tobacco seedlings under normal conditions, but strongly observed in tobacco leaf discs and the vascular tissue of roots treated with NaCl or KCl. Expression of ZFP182 in transgenic tobacco and overexpression in rice increased plant tolerance to salt stress. These results demonstrated that ZFP182 might be involved in plant responses to salt stress.