title: Role of Homeodomain leucine zipper (HD-Zip) IV transcription factors in plant development and plant protection from deleterious environmental factors.
abstract: Homeobox genes comprise an important group of genes that are responsible for regulation of developmental processes. These genes determine cell differentiation and cell fate in all eukaryotic organisms, starting from the early stages of embryo development. Homeodomain leucine zipper (HD-Zip) transcription factors are unique to the plant kingdom. Members of the HD-Zip IV subfamily have a complex domain topology and can bind several cis-elements with overlapping sequences. Many of the reported HD-Zip IV genes were shown to be specifically or preferentially expressed in plant epidermal or sub-epidermal cells. HD-Zip IV TFs were found to be associated with differentiation and maintenance of outer cell layers, and regulation of lipid biosynthesis and transport. Insights about the role of these proteins in plant cuticle formation, and hence their possible involvement in plant protection from pathogens and abiotic stresses has just started to emerge. These roles make HD-Zip IV proteins an attractive tool for genetic engineering of crop plants. To this end, there is a need for in-depth studies to further clarify the function of each HD-Zip IV subfamily member in commercially important plant species.
authors.affiliation: Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics, University of Adelaide, Waite Campus, Glen Osmond, South Australia 5064, Australia. sergiy.lopato@acpfg.com.au.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chew
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hrmova
authors.forename: Sergiy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lopato
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D005801:Genes, Homeobox; D017343:Genes, Plant; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016350:Leucine Zippers; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D063245:Plant Development; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013312:Stress, Physiological
chemical_list: D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins