Molecular Characterization and Expression Profiling of Tomato GRF Transcription Factor Family Genes in Response to Abiotic Stresses and Phytohormones

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 18; no. 5; p. 1056
• Main Authors: Khatun, Khadiza, Robin, Arif Hasan Khan, Park, Jong-In, Nath, Ujjal Kumar, Kim, Chang Kil, Lim, Ki-Byung, Nou, Ill Sup, Chung, Mi-Young
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 13.05.2017; MDPI
• Subjects: Abiotic stress; Abscisic acid; Amino Acid Sequence - genetics; Biological activity; Buds; Classification; Drought; Fruit - genetics; Fruit - growth & development; Fruits; Functional analysis; Functional anatomy; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Genes; Gibberellic acid; Heat; Hormones; Jasmonic acid; Lycopersicon esculentum - genetics; Lycopersicon esculentum - growth & development; Meristem - genetics; Meristem - growth & development; Meristems; Multigene Family - genetics; Phylogeny; Physiological effects; Phytohormones; Plant Growth Regulators - genetics; Proteins; Ripening; Sequence Alignment; Sodium chloride; Solanum lycopersicum; Tomatoes; Transcription factors; Transcription Factors - genetics; fruit development; GRF gene; organ-specific expression; phytohormone treatment; Solanum lycopersicum; abiotic stress
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms18051056

Growth regulating factors (GRFs) are plant-specific transcription factors that are involved in diverse biological and physiological processes, such as growth, development and stress and hormone responses. However, the roles of GRFs in vegetative and reproductive growth, development and stress responses in tomato ( ) have not been extensively explored. In this study, we characterized the 13 genes. In silico analysis of protein motif organization, intron-exon distribution, and phylogenetic classification confirmed the presence of GRF proteins in tomato. The tissue-specific expression analysis revealed that most of the genes were preferentially expressed in young and growing tissues such as flower buds and meristems, suggesting that are important during growth and development of these tissues. Some of the genes were preferentially expressed in fruits at distinct developmental stages suggesting their involvement in fruit development and the ripening process. The strong and differential expression of different under NaCl, drought, heat, cold, abscisic acid (ABA), and jasmonic acid (JA) treatment, predict possible functions for these genes in stress responses in addition to their growth regulatory functions. Further, differential expression of genes upon gibberellic acid GA3) treatment indicates their probable function in flower development and stress responses through a gibberellic acid GA)-mediated pathway. The results of this study provide a basis for further functional analysis and characterization of this important gene family in tomato.