Identification and Functional Analysis on Abiotic Stress Response of Soybean Cl− Channel Gene GmCLCnt

The Cl− homeostasis was known as the major mechanism of soybean to achieve NaCl tolerance, but studies on the role of chloride channel under abiotic stress were relatively few. We cloned a putative CLC-type chloride channel gene GmCLCnt from soybean via RACE and it was predicted to encode a protein of 783 amino acids with 9 possible transmembrane domains and 2 tandem CBS domains. Real-time RT-PCR analysis showed that the GmCLCnt gene was expressed in all tissues of soybean but enriched in leaves and its expression was induced by NaCl, polyethylene glycol (PEG), coldness and ABA treatments. The Arabidopsis seedlings overexpressing GmCLCnt were more tolerant to higher concentration of NaCl than those of wild type. The results suggested that the GmCLCnt may be a CLC-type chloride channel and play an important role in salt tolerance.