Nuclear Factor Y, subunit A (NFYA) constitutes a family of transcription factors that play critical roles in plant growth, development and abiotic stress responses. Taxodium hybrid ‘Zhongshanshan’ (T. mucronatum × T. distichum) is a fast-growing tree species with high industrial value and remarkable flooding tolerance. However, the systematic characteristics and abiotic stress response patterns of the ThNFYA gene family remain unclear. In this study, a total of 11 ThNFYA genes were identified. The encoded proteins ranged from 67 to 372 amino acids in length, with predicted molecular weights between 16.84 and 40.12 kDa. Phylogenetic analysis classified plant NFYAs into four clades, with all ThNFYAs falling into clades I and IV. Expression profiling revealed tissue-specific patterns, with six members showing the highest transcript levels in the cambium. Multiple cis-acting elements associated with stress and hormone responses were detected in the promoter regions of ThNFYAs. Most ThNFYAs were differentially regulated under salt, drought, and flooding stresses. Notably, most clade IV members (ThNFYA3, ThNFYA4, and ThNFYA6-ThNFYA8) were downregulated in the wood under partial submergence. This indicates their potential role in modifying wood properties in response to flooding. Co-expression network analysis identified ThNFYA1 and ThNFYA8 as central hub genes in leaves under partial submergence. Overall, these results suggest that the ThNFYA family may serve as candidate regulators of development and stress adaptation in T. hybrid ‘Zhongshanshan’. This study provides valuable insights for further functional verification of ThNFYAs and lays a foundation for marker-assisted breeding of stress-tolerant varieties.
A systematic analysis of the MtPLATZ gene family in M. truncatula is provided, offering a valuable reference for functional studies and genetic improvement of stress tolerance in legumes.
The TIFY gene family comprises plant-specific transcriptional regulators central to jasmonic acid (JA) signaling and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Despite the economic importance of the banana (Musa spp.), the TIFY family remains largely uncharacterized in this crop. Here, we conducted a genome-wide identification and comprehensive analysis of the MaTIFY gene family in Musa acuminata. A total of 47 MaTIFY genes were identified, distributed across all 11 chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis classified these into four subfamilies (TIFY, ZIZ/ZML, PPD, and JAZ), and conserved motif and domain analyses revealed a core TIFY domain architecture with subfamily-specific structural features. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and cis-acting regulatory element analyses suggested potential involvement in JA-mediated signaling, defense response, and hormone cross-talk. Expression profiling under drought, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense race 4 (Foc 4), and cold stress revealed distinct transcriptional responses, with MaTIFY5, MaTIFY16, MaTIFY20, MaTIFY26, and MaTIFY30 exhibiting enhanced induction in resistant cultivars compared to their susceptible counterparts. Functional characterization of MaTIFY20 confirmed its significant upregulation under drought stress and its ability to confer enhanced osmotic tolerance when heterologously expressed in yeast. These findings provide novel insights into the evolutionary dynamics and stress-responsive functions of banana TIFY genes and identify candidate targets for molecular breeding to improve abiotic and biotic stress resilience in banana.
Sheraz Ahmad, Huimin Song, Hangbo Cao et al.· International Journal of Mol...· 0 citations
It is demonstrated that heterologous expression of TksPLATZ1, TksPLATZ2 and TksPLATZ7 localize to the cell nucleus and act as transcriptional activators and repressors, respectively, which enhances the tolerance of Arabidopsis to salt and osmotic stress.
Jinxian Chen, Wenhao Wu, Ming-Hua Luo et al.· Phytochemistry· 0 citations
First comprehensive characterization of the RLCK gene family in sugarcane is presented, elucidating its evolutionary features, expression dynamics and functional roles, and providing compelling evidence that ScRLCK53 modulates salt tolerance through activation of the JA signaling pathway.
Shichao Wang, Pingping Lin, Deng Wu et al.· Plant physiology and biochem...· 0 citations
This study systematically characterizes the composition, expansion and stress response patterns of the GmATG gene family, revealing functional differentiation among family members.
Introduction Drought is a major abiotic stress limiting the growth and ecological adaptation of tropical and subtropical trees. The SnRK2 gene family is a core regulator in ABA signaling and drought response pathways. However, genome-wide identification and functional characterization of the SnRK2 family remain unclear in Bombax ceiba, a typical drought-tolerant tropical pioneer tree species with important ecological and economic value. Methods We performed genome-wide identification of the BcSnRK2 gene family using bioinformatics approaches. Phylogenetic relationships, gene structures, conserved motifs, cis-acting elements, chromosomal localization, and protein structures were systematically analyzed. Subcellular localization was verified by transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana. Tissue-specific expression and drought-responsive patterns were detected by qRT-PCR under 10% PEG6000 treatment. Protein–protein interaction networks were predicted using the STRING database. Results A total of nine BcSnRK2 genes were identified and unevenly distributed across eight chromosomes. All BcSnRK2 proteins contained conserved kinase domains and shared a highly conserved exon–intron structure. Promoter regions harbored abundant ABA-responsive and stress-related cis-elements. BcSnRK2 genes exhibited distinct tissue-specific expression profiles. All genes were significantly induced by drought stress in a tissue- and time-dependent manner, with BcSnRK2.9 and BcSnRK2.7 showing strong and sustained activation in shoots and BcSnRK2.7 and BcSnRK2.3 responding prominently in roots. BcSnRK2 proteins were localized in the cytoplasm, plasma membrane, and nucleus, and were predicted to interact with core components of the ABA signaling pathway. Discussion The BcSnRK2 family exhibits evolutionary conservation and functional divergence in Bombax ceiba. The compact size of the SnRK2 family, conserved structural features, and distinct tissue-specific drought response patterns are consistent with a streamlined stress signaling system that may contribute to the ecological adaptation of Bombax ceiba in seasonally dry tropical environments, although formal evolutionary analyses are required to establish adaptive significance. This study provides valuable gene resources for drought resistance breeding of woody plants and advances the understanding of stress signaling mechanisms in tropical trees.
Yu-Mei Shi, Zhifang Zhang, Ruoxin He et al.· Frontiers in Plant Science· 0 citations