title: Identification and characterization of NF-Y transcription factor families in the monocot model plant Brachypodium distachyon.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nuclear Factor Y (NF-Y) is a heterotrimeric transcription factor composed of NF-YA, NF-YB and NF-YC proteins. Using the dicot plant model system Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis), NF-Y were previously shown to control a variety of agronomically important traits, including drought tolerance, flowering time, and seed development. The aim of the current research was to identify and characterize NF-Y families in the emerging monocot model plant Brachypodium distachyon (Brachypodium) with the long term goal of assisting in the translation of known dicot NF-Y functions to the grasses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified, annotated, and further characterized 7 NF-YA, 17 NF-YB, and 12 NF-YC proteins in Brachypodium (BdNF-Y). By examining phylogenetic relationships, orthology predictions, and tissue-specific expression patterns for all 36 BdNF-Y, we proposed numerous examples of likely functional conservation between dicots and monocots. To test one of these orthology predictions, we demonstrated that a BdNF-YB with predicted orthology to Arabidopsis floral-promoting NF-Y proteins can rescue a late flowering Arabidopsis mutant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Brachypodium genome encodes a similar complement of NF-Y to other sequenced angiosperms. Information regarding NF-Y phylogenetic relationships, predicted orthologies, and expression patterns can facilitate their study in the grasses. The current data serves as an entry point for translating many NF-Y functions from dicots to the genetically tractable monocot model system Brachypodium. In turn, studies of NF-Y function in Brachypodium promise to be more readily translatable to the agriculturally important grasses.
authors: Department of Botany and Microbiology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, United States of America.
authors: Shuanghe
authors: S
authors: Cao
authors: Roderick W
authors: RW
authors: Kumimoto
authors: Chamindika L
authors: CL
authors: Siriwardana
authors: Jan R
authors: JR
authors: Risinger
authors: Ben F
authors: BF
authors: Holt
mesh_terms: D058431:Brachypodium / Q000378:metabolism*; D010802:Phylogeny; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors