The Role of Calcium-Dependent Protein Kinase Genes CPK16, CPK25, CPK30, and CPK32 in Stilbene Biosynthesis and the Stress Resistance of Grapevine Vitis amurensis Rupr.

Abstract

It is known that calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPK or CPK) are implicated in the regulation of plant development and stress adaptation. However, there is a lack of information on the properties and functions of certain CDPK family members. The present study investigates the functions of four CDPK genes of the grapevine Vitis amurensis Rupr. in the formation of its high stress resistance level and the production of valuable secondary metabolites. Overexpression of the CPK30 gene of V. amurensis considerably increased the resistance of V. amurensis transgenic cell lines to salt and cold stresses, while CPK16, CPK25, and CPK32 overexpression did not influence the salt and temperature stress tolerance. VaCPK16 and VaCPK32 overexpression increased stilbene production in V. amurensis cell cultures by 2.1–3.1 and 1.6–3.1 times, respectively. The data indicate that the VaCPK30 gene is involved in the formation of grapevine salt and cold stress resistance, while the VaCPK16 and VaCPK32 genes contribute to increased stilbene accumulation.