Abstract: 【Objective】The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of cotton GhCYP1 gene on drought tolerance of tobacco.【Method】The plant expression vector of GhCYP1 gene was constructed by using gateway cloning technology and transformed into tobacco based on Agrobacterium tumerficiens-mediated transformation approach. Transgenic tobacco plants fused the target genes were generated. Wild type (WT), transgenic lines L1 and L2 of tobacco were used to measure the relative content of chlorophyll in leaf discs, relative water content, malonyldialdehyde content and relative electrical conductivity in plants.【Result】Compared with WT, transgenic tobacco plants form a stronger root system. Under the conditions of water stress, the leaf chlorophyll was less affected in transgenic plants which had obviously higher leaf chlorophyll content in leaf discs. The 3rd day after water stress，relative water content, the malonyldialdehyde content and relative electrical conductivity in L1 and L2 transgenic lines showed no difference with that in WT. After 13 d under water stress conditions, relative water content in transgenic lines was significantly higher than in WT, but the malonyldialdehyde content and relative electrical conductivity were significantly lower than in WT. 【Conclusion】These results suggested that WT tobacco plants were greatly affected under water stress conditions, and the transgenic plants were less affected. Overexpression of GhCYP1 improved the drought tolerance of transgenic tobacco plants.  

Key words: cotton, tobacco, GhCYP1 gene, genetic transformation, drought tolerance