Isolation, sequence analysis and transcriptional activation study of two novel DREB genes from Populus euphratica Oliv

Dehydration-responsive element binding (DREB) transcription factors with a typical AP2/EREBP DNA-binding domain might recognize and bind to DRE cis-element, especially and finally activate a lot of stress-responsive genes when plants are under abiobitc stresses, including dehydration, high salt and low temperature. Using PCR and homologous DREB search, we isolated two DREB2-type genes from poplar (Populus euphratica Oliv.) named PeDREB3 and PeDREB4. PeDREB3 and PeDREB4 distinguished themselves from other DREBs with an 8 bp extension sequence between their second and third β-sheets of the AP2 domain. Modified yeast one hybrid analysis reveals that full length conding sequence has transcriptional activation in yeast.