Ectopic expression of soybean KS-type dehydrin, SLTI66 and SLTI629 conferred tolerance against osmotic and metal stresses of Escherichia coli and Arabidopsis

Two low temperature induced genes designated as SLTI66 and SLTI629 encoding KS-type dehydrin were heterologously expressed in E coli and A. thaliana. E coli cells expressing SLTI66 and SLTI629 protein grew better with iron stress compared to the control cells. Ectopic expression of SLTI629 conferred tolerance to iron stress in Arabidopsis but SLTI66 did not. Arabidopsis plants expressing SLTI66 showed enhanced tolerance to freezing and drought stress compared to those of wild type and SLTI629 lines. We propose that SLTI66 and SLTI629 play a different role as a protector against osmotic and metal stresses.