Overexpression of a tomato flavanone 3-hydroxylase-like protein gene improves chilling tolerance in tobacco

Flavonoids are secondary metabolites found in plants with a wide range of biological functions, such as stress protection. This study investigated the functions of a tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) flavanone 3-hydroxylase-like protein gene SlF3HL by using transgenic tobacco. The expression of the gene was up-regulated under chilling (4 °C), heat (42 °C), salt (NaCl) and oxidative (H2O2) stresses. The transgenic plants that displayed high SlF3HL mRNA and protein levels showed higher flavonoid content than the WT plants. Moreover, the expression of three flavonoid biosynthesis-related structural genes, namely, chalcone synthase (CHS), chalcone isomerase (CHI) and flavonol synthase (FLS) was also higher in the transgenic plants than in the WT plants. Under chilling stress, the transgenic plants showed not only faster seed germination, better survival and growth, but also lower malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation, relative electrical conductivity (REC) and H2O2 and O2(·-) levels compared with WT plants. These results suggested that SlF3HL stimulated flavonoid biosynthesis in response to chilling stress.