Aqib Iqbal

Aqib Iqbal


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

2Years (2025-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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24 October 2025 in Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
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HDHamza Salah Ud Din
Hamza Salah Ud Din
AIAqib Iqbal
Aqib Iqbal
FJFazal Jalal
Fazal Jalal
AAAwais Ahmad
Awais Ahmad
MPMuhammad Haris Paracha
Muhammad Haris Paracha
TNTaufiq Nawaz
Taufiq Nawaz

Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
Raheel MunirRaheel Munir
Raheel Munir
Iqbal HussainIqbal Hussain
Iqbal Hussain
NJNazia Jan
Nazia Jan
BABahar Ali
Bahar Ali
Iqbal MunirIqbal Munir
Iqbal Munir
AIAqib Iqbal
Aqib Iqbal
Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) are essential components of the plant proteostasis network under environmental stress; however, the cis-regulatory mechanisms underlying stress-responsive expression of individual sHSP genes remains insufficiently depicted. Here, we characterized the promoter of ClHSP22.9 from wild watermelon (Citrullus lanatus subsp. cordophanus) and evaluated its transcriptional responsiveness under different abiotic stresses. A semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that ClHSP22.9 transcripts were strongly induced by heat, dehydration, and salinity treatments, whereas cold treatment caused comparatively limited transcriptional alterations. A 1482 bp promoter region upstream of the transcription start site was isolated using thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR (TAIL-PCR) and partially overlapping primer-based PCR (POP-PCR). An in silico promoter analysis identified multiple predicted stress and hormonal-associated cis-regulatory elements, including two heat shock elements (HSEs). Three serial 5′ promoter deletion fragments (−1482, −1012, and −522 bp) were fused to the GUS reporter gene and functionally analyzed in transgenic Brassica napus. Under heat stress, the −1482 and −1012 bp promoter fragments exhibited strong reporter activation, whereas deletion to −522 bp significantly reduced promoter activity, indicating that the −1012 to −522 bp region contributes substantially to maximal heat-responsive transcription. Furthermore, the −1012 bp proHSPII fragment retained an inducible GUS expression under heat, drought, and combined heat and drought stress conditions. These findings identify an important region within the ClHSP22.9 promoter and establish the −1012 bp promoter fragment as a promising candidate stress-responsive regulatory sequence for further mechanistic characterization and potential application in plant biotechnology.