淹水胁迫是涝渍地区杨树生长最主要的限制因子之一。前期研究中，我们通过对2个抗涝性显著不同的杨树全同胞子代的转录组分析，克隆到转录因子PtERF-1，并发现它在抗涝杨树中受淹水胁迫强烈诱导，而在不抗涝杨树中未被诱导。在拟南芥中超量表达该基因，可以显著提高抗涝性。在此基础上，本项目拟分析PtERF-1作为转录因子的基本特征。构建超量表达载体、RNAi载体和显性抑制载体转化杨树，明确PtERF-1在杨树中的抗涝功能。对淹水处理前后转基因和非转基因植株进行转录组测序，筛选差异表达基因，并对其涉及的代谢途径进行生理测定和解剖结构分析。结合酵母单杂交、ChIP-Seq、EMSA分析，确定PtERF-1的靶基因。采用酵母双杂交等方法，发掘PtERF-1的互作因子。本项目是已有研究的深入和延续，将为杨树抗涝育种提供重要的基因资源，并揭示PtERF-1的作用机制，为以它为节点的淹水胁迫应答网络提供理论依据。

Soil flooding stress is one of the most impotant limiting factors in poplar growth of waterlogging area. In our previous study, we cloned a transcription factor PtERF-1 by RNA-seq in two full-sib poplar clones differing in flood tolerance. The gene was strongly induced by flood stress in the flood-tolerant clone, but not induced in another flood-intolerant one. Flood tolerance could be significantly increased by overexpressing the gene in Arabidopsis thaliana. On these bases, the project will primarily investigate the characteristics of PtERF-1 as a transcription factor. Its overexpression vector, RNAi vector and dominant repressing vector will be constructed and transform poplar, respectively, for its functional identification of flood resistance in poplar. RNA-Seq will be subsequently performed in these transgenic and non- transgenic poplar plants after flooding treatment to select different expressed genes. Metabolism and anatomy analysis involved these different expressed genes will be conducted. Target genes of PtERF-1 will be identified combined with analysis of yeast one-hybrid, ChIP-Seq and EMSA. In addition, yeast two-hybrid analysis will be performed to define the interaction factors of PtERF-1. The project is the extension of previous studies, which will provide important gene resource for poplar genetic improvement in flood tolerance. These results will also benefit revealing the regulation mechanism of PtERF-1 in poplar flood tolerance, and supply theory evidences for flooding stress response network in plants involved the gene.