Over-Expression of BnMAPK1 in Brassica napus Enhances Tolerance to Drought Stress

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are a family of Ser/Thr protein kinases widely conserved in all eukaryotes and involved in responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, two over-expressing BnMAPK1 oilseed rape lines, ov3 and ov11, were used to study the drought-resistant mechanism of BnMAPK1 under natural drought and simulation drought through spraying 10% PEG 8000 in seedlings. Zhongyou 821 (WT) was used as control. Compared with wild type, transgenic seedlings had higher leaf water content, higher root activity, slightly higher peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, higher proline content and lower malondialdehyde (MDA) content. The expression of drought-resistant related genes, including P5CSB, PLC, LEA4 and SCE1, have been up-regulated in some degree and the expressed time of transgenic lines were earlier than that of wild type. These results suggested that over-expression of BnMAPK1 can enhance the resistance to drought in oilseed rape (Brassica napus).