Chinese scientists are studying the role of NF-YC, a subunit found in
nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) also known as HAP, in the sality and drought
tolerance of transgenic rice
[www.isaaa.org] rice.
The NF-YC was isolated from bermuda grass and inserted into transgenic rice.
These transgenic rice and a wild variety rice, which serves as the control,
was then exposed under drought and saline conditions.

The findings of the study show that the overexpression of NF-YC has improved
the salinity and drought tolerance of transgenic rice due to the increase in
the transgenic levels of in the following genes: signaling genes, responsive
genes and ABA-independent genes, and an increase in the sensitivity to ABA
and ABA synthesis levels. These results imply that NF-YC from bermuda grass
can be a promising
[www.isaaa.org] gene
that can be used in enhancing transgenic rice's tolerance to drought and
salinity.

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