Stress responsive zinc-finger protein gene of Populus euphratica in tobacco enhances salt tolerance.

The Populus euphratica stress responsive zinc-finger protein gene PSTZ, which encodes a protein including typical Cys(2)/His(2) zinc finger structure, was isolated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction from P. euphratica. Northern hybridization revealed that its expression was induced under drought and salt stress conditions. To examine its function, cDNA of the PSTZ gene, driven by the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter, was cloned into a plant expression vector pBin438 and introduced into tobacco plants. Transgenic tobacco showed an enhanced salt tolerance, suggesting that PSTZ may play a role in plant responsiveness to salt stress.