A 796 bp PsPR10 gene promoter fragment increased root-specific expression of the GUS reporter gene under the abiotic stresses and signal molecules in tobacco.

A 1681 bp PsPR10 promoter was isolated from Pinus strobus and a series of 5'-deletions were fused to the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene and introduced into tobacco. GUS activity in P796 (-796 to +69) construct transgenic plant roots was similar with that of P1681 and higher than those of the P513 (-513 to +69) and P323 (-323 to +69) transgenic plants. Moreover, the abiotic stresses of NaCl, PEG 6000 and mannitol, and salicylic acid (SA), abscisic acid (ABA) and jasmonic acid (JA) induced higher GUS activity in the roots of P796 transgenic tobacco. This study provides a potential inducible root-specific promoter for transgenic plants.