An RNA chaperone, AtCSP2, negatively regulates salt stress tolerance.

Cold shock domain (CSD) proteins are RNA chaperones that destabilize RNA secondary structures. Arabidopsis Cold Shock Domain Protein 2 (AtCSP2), one of the 4 CSD proteins (AtCSP1-AtCSP4) in Arabidopsis, is induced during cold acclimation but negatively regulates freezing tolerance. Here, we analyzed the function of AtCSP2 in salt stress tolerance. A double mutant, with reduced AtCSP2 and no AtCSP4 expression (atcsp2-3 atcsp4-1), displayed higher survival rates after salt stress. In addition, overexpression of AtCSP2 resulted in reduced salt stress tolerance. These data demonstrate that AtCSP2 acts as a negative regulator of salt stress tolerance in Arabidopsis.