Molecular Cloning and Characterization of Soybean Cinnamoyl CoA Reductase Induced by Abiotic Stresses

Suppression subtractive hybridization was used to isolate wound-induced genes from soybean. One of the wound-induced genes, gmwi143 designated as GmCCR, showed high homology with genes encoding cinnamoyl-CoA reductase (CCR; EC 1.2.1.44). Deduced amino acid sequences encoded by GmCCR showed the highest identity (77%) with those of Acacia CCR. There are 2 CCR genes highly homologous to GmCCR in soybean genome based on Phytozome DB analysis. RNA expression of GmCCR was specifically induced by local and systemic wounding, drought, high salinity or by ultraviolet stress. Our study suggests that GmCCR may be involved in resistance mechanism during abiotic stresses in plants.