Isolation and characterization of a stress responsive small GTP-binding protein AhRabG3b in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Rab7 is a member of small GTP-binding protein family involved in intracellular vesicle trafficking from late endosome to vacuole, some of them are found to be responsive by different environmental stresses. Here we report the isolation of a Rab7 (RabG3b) cDNA from peanut (Arachis hypogaea). Overexpression of the open reading frame (ORF) of Rab7 cDNA encoding 205 amino acids in E. coli conferred the cells tolerance to various abiotic stresses. Transcription of AhRabG3b was differentially up-regulated by different environmental stimuli such as cold, dehydration, NaCl and the plant hormone ABA. Overexpression of the AhRabG3b exhibited enhanced tolerance to drought and salinity stresses in transgenic peanut. These results suggested that the AhRabG3b be a potential candidate gene responsible for both salinity and dehydration tolerance in cultivated peanut.