Cloning and characterization of the DIR1 promoter from Eucommia ulmoides Oliv and its response to hormonal and abiotic stress.

Abstract The lignans of Eucommia ulmoides have been extensively studied and shown to have a dual mechanism of regulating blood pressure. Studies have shown that DIR1 is a key gene in the biosynthetic pathway of lignans in Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. In this study, a 2000 bp upstream promoter sequence was cloned, and part of the sequence (1495 bp) and its 5'-end truncated segment were constructed into the pCAMBIA1391Z expression plasmid upstream of ß-glucuronidase (GUS). Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation produced stable transgenic tobacco lines. The results showed that although both full-length and truncated promoters could initiate GUS expression, their levels were influenced by the degree of deletion at the 5' end. GUS histochemical staining showed that the core promoter region was located in the region containing the transcription initiation site (TIS) within 212 bp. In addition, the DIR1 promoter responded to environmental and hormonal stressors, such as jasmonic acid (MeJA), abscisic acid (ABA), D-mannitol (drought mimic), and high concentrations of NaCl. In transgenic tobacco seedlings, MeJA, D-mannitol, and ABA could activate the DIR1 promoter, whereas high concentrations of NaCl could inhibit it. In E. ulmoides Oliv seedlings, MeJA, NaCl, and D-mannitol activated the DIR1 promoter, whereas ABA had an inhibitory effect. In summary, our findings provide a theoretical basis for the use of the DIR1 promoter in plant genetic engineering, indicating its potential. Our study also presents novel insights for lignan biosynthesis and sheds light on the mechanisms of E. ulmoides Oliv in response to stress.