DgC3H1, a CCCH zinc finger protein gene, confers cold tolerance in transgenic chrysanthemum

•DgC3H1 was isolated and cloned from Chrysanthemum morifolium. The DgC3H1 predicted protein contained 282 amino acids and three CCCH zinc finger motifs (C-X5-14-C-X4-5-C-X3-H).•Subcellular localization, it was found that DgC3H1 is located in the nucleus and is a CCCH zinc finger transcription factor.•Compared with wild-type (WT), DgC3H1 overexpression improved the low temperature resistance of chrysanthemum.The expression of endogenous C3H1 was downregulated under antisense inhibition, and the sensitivity of chrysanthemum to low temperature stress was increased.•DgC3H1 overexpression showed higher survival rate and lower REC, MDA (malondialdehyde) and reactive oxygen species (H202 and O2-) accumulation under low temperature stress, which is consistent with the expression of chrysanthemum antisense under stress is the opposite.•Under cold stress, the contents of proline and soluble sugar, and the activities of peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were enhanced in the DgC3H1 overexpression lines, and reduced in the antisense suppression lines.•The low temperature stress response genes DgCOR413, DgDREBa, DgCSD1, and DgCSD2 were upregulated in the overexpression lines, and downregulated in the antisense suppression lines when compared to the wild type.•DgC3H1 can improve the resistance of chrysanthemum to cold stress and can be selected as an excellent candidate gene for breeding cold-tolerant plants.