This invention relates to the field of
plant molecular biology, specifically to a loquat
fatty acid desaturase-
related gene, EjFAD8, its encoded
protein, and its applications. The full-length cDNA sequence of this
gene is shown in SEQ ID No. 1, and the
amino acid sequence of its encoded
protein is shown in SEQ ID No. 2. The EjFAD8
gene of this invention increases
plant cold resistance by increasing the synthesis of SQDG (16:0 / 18:1) and promoting the expression of related genes in the ICE-CBF-COR low-
temperature stress pathway. Using
Agrobacterium tumefaciens Gv3101-mediated flower-dip method, the
plant expression vector pCambia2300-35S::EjFAD8-eGFP containing the
target gene was transformed into wild-type
Arabidopsis thaliana. Overexpression of 35S::EjFAD8 in the transgenic
Arabidopsis enhanced its
cold resistance. This invention utilizes transgenic
Arabidopsis thaliana plant materials obtained from the loquat EjFAD8
gene. Under low
temperature stress, these plants can increase the content of unsaturated fatty acids, enhance the expression of low temperature-related genes, and reduce the content of H2O2 in the plant, thereby increasing the plant's
cold resistance and showing great application potential.