title: Genome-wide analysis and expression profiling of the ERF transcription factor family in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.).
abstract: The ERF transcription factors belong to the AP2/ERF superfamily, one of the largest transcription factor families in plants. They play important roles in plant development processes, as well as in the response to biotic, abiotic, and hormone signaling. In the present study, 155 putative ERF transcription factor genes were identified from the potato (Solanum tuberosum) genome database, and compared with those from Arabidopsis thaliana. The StERF proteins are divided into ten phylogenetic groups. Expression analyses of five StERFs were carried out by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and compared with published RNA-seq data. These latter analyses were used to distinguish tissue-specific, biotic, and abiotic stress genes as well as hormone-responsive StERF genes. The results are of interest to better understand the role of the AP2/ERF genes in response to diverse types of stress in potatoes. A comprehensive analysis of the physiological functions and biological roles of the ERF family genes in S. tuberosum is required to understand crop stress tolerance mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Unité d'Enzymes et Bioconversion, Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Sfax, Route Soukra Km 4, BP 1173, 3038, Sfax, Tunisia, charfeddine.mariam@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Mariam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Charfeddine
authors.forename: Mohamed Najib
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Saïdi
authors.forename: Safa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Charfeddine
authors.forename: Asma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hammami
authors.forename: Radhia
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gargouri Bouzid
mesh_terms: D016000:Cluster Analysis; D030541:Databases, Genetic; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018745:Genome, Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011198:Solanum tuberosum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors