CaADIK1 gene and method for enhancing drought stress resistance in plants using the same

Drought-tolerant crops with closed stomata via overexpression of the pepper MAP3 kinase that binds to CaADIP1

This technology involves the MAP3 kinase CaADIK1 (SEQ ID NO: 1), identified as a protein interacting with CaADIP1 in the Nokkwang pepper cultivar, the gene encoding it, a composition for enhancing drought stress resistance containing a recombinant vector with said gene as an active ingredient, and a method for overexpressing this gene in plants via transformation.

As global warming and desertification exacerbate water shortages, drought is hindering crop growth and significantly reducing grain yields. While plants respond to drought by closing stomata via abscisic acid (ABA) signaling, the downstream pathways following ABA receptors remain incompletely understood, limiting the genetic resources available for developing drought-tolerant crops.

This technology leverages the role of CaADIK1 as a positive regulator of ABA signaling that enhances ABA-mediated stomatal closure, reducing water loss in transgenic plants overexpressing the pepper-derived gene (SEQ ID NO: 2). The scope of the claims covers compositions for enhancing drought resistance in the form of proteins, genes, or recombinant vectors. Applicable to breeding field peppers and solanaceous vegetables, developing drought-tolerant crops for regions with irregular rainfall, and creating plants for greening arid areas, this technology utilizes the ADIP1-linked signaling axis to produce crops that remain resilient even with reduced irrigation.

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Key Features:

• A composition for enhancing drought stress resistance comprising as an active ingredient at least one of the following: the CaADIK1 protein consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, the gene encoding it, or a recombinant vector.
• The CaADIK1 gene, isolated from the Nokkwang pepper cultivar and consisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, serving as an active ingredient of the composition.
• A step of transforming a plant with a gene encoding the CaADIK1 protein consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1.
• A step of enhancing drought stress resistance by overexpressing the CaADIK1 protein in the transformed plant.

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This invention was developed with support from the Rural Development Administration's project to develop breeding materials for disease and disaster resistance through the functional characterization of stress-related genes in chili peppers.

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