干旱是西北地区影响苹果产量与果实质量的主要限制因素。苹果干旱胁迫重要基因的发掘与利用是创制耐旱苹果新种质的途径之一。课题组前期研究发现，长期中度干旱胁迫下，‘秦冠’苹果水分利用效率更高，也更耐旱。利用蛋白质组学技术，我们筛选到一个干旱胁迫诱导的锌指蛋白（MdZFP1）。以此为基础，本项目拟通过鉴定过表达和沉默（RNAi）MdZFP1的转基因苹果对干旱胁迫的响应，以确定其在干旱胁迫下的生物学功能；拟结合ChIP-Seq、RNA-Seq技术确定MdZFP1的靶基因；通过亲和纯化-质谱技术、双分子荧光互补、免疫共沉淀技术等确定MdZFP1的互作蛋白，并研究其互作机制。因此，本项目旨在阐明秦冠苹果中MdZFP1的生物学功能及作用机制，为进一步培育耐旱的苹果新种质提供理论基础。

Drought stress is one of the adverse environmental effects of plant growth and yield in Northwest China. Application of biotechnology is one of the approaches for new varieties of apple tree. Our preliminary data shows that cv. ‘Qinguan’ (Malus domestica Borkh.) has a higher photosynthesis rate and a higher WUE under long-term moderate drought stress. Using a proteomics technique, we isolated a Zinc Finger Protein (MdZFP1) induced by drought stress in apple. We will characterize the molecular mechanisms of MdZFP1 under drought stress by loss-of-function and gain-of-function analysis, identifying its down-stream targets by ChIP-Seq and interacting partners by IP-MASS, BiFC, and Co-IP analysis, and examining the biological functions of its targets and interaction partners under drought stress. Our results will explore the molecular responses of MdZFP1 under drought stress and provide theoretical information for the breeding of drought stress-resistant apple cultivars.