title: Identification and characterization of NF-YB family genes in tung tree.
abstract: The NF-YB transcription factor gene family encodes a subunit of the CCAAT box-binding factor (CBF), a highly conserved trimeric activator that strongly binds to the CCAAT box promoter element. Studies on model plants have shown that NF-YB proteins participate in important developmental and physiological processes, but little is known about NF-YB proteins in trees. Here, we identified seven NF-YB transcription factor-encoding genes in Vernicia fordii, an important oilseed tree in China. A phylogenetic analysis separated the genes into two groups; non-LEC1 type (VfNF-YB1, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13) and LEC1-type (VfNF-YB 14). A gene structure analysis showed that VfNF-YB 5 has three introns and the other genes have no introns. The seven VfNF-YB sequences contain highly conserved domains, a disordered region at the N terminus, and two long helix structures at the C terminus. Phylogenetic analyses showed that VfNF-YB family genes are highly homologous to GmNF-YB genes, and many of them are closely related to functionally characterized NF-YBs. In expression analyses of various tissues (root, stem, leaf, and kernel) and the root during pathogen infection, VfNF-YB1, 5, and 11 were dominantly expressed in kernels, and VfNF-YB7 and 9 were expressed only in the root. Different VfNF-YB family genes showed different responses to pathogen infection, suggesting that they play different roles in the pathogen response. Together, these findings represent the first extensive evaluation of the NF-YB family in tung tree and provide a foundation for dissecting the functions of VfNF-YB genes in seed development, stress adaption, fatty acid synthesis, and pathogen response.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 100091, People's Republic of China. yangsu_121@163.com.|Institute of Subtropical Foresty, Chinese Academy of Foresty, Daqiao Road No.73, Fuyang District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311400, People's Republic of China. yangsu_121@163.com.
authors.forename: Susu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 100091, People's Republic of China.|Institute of Subtropical Foresty, Chinese Academy of Foresty, Daqiao Road No.73, Fuyang District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311400, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yangdong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Subtropical Foresty, Chinese Academy of Foresty, Daqiao Road No.73, Fuyang District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311400, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hengfu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA.
authors.forename: Haobo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 100091, People's Republic of China.|Institute of Subtropical Foresty, Chinese Academy of Foresty, Daqiao Road No.73, Fuyang District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311400, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 100091, People's Republic of China.|Institute of Subtropical Foresty, Chinese Academy of Foresty, Daqiao Road No.73, Fuyang District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311400, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Huiping
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 100091, People's Republic of China. yicun_chen@163.com.|Institute of Subtropical Foresty, Chinese Academy of Foresty, Daqiao Road No.73, Fuyang District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311400, People's Republic of China. yicun_chen@163.com.
authors.forename: Yicun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D023081:CCAAT-Binding Factor / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D019665:Euphorbiaceae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017343:Genes, Plant; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D023081:CCAAT-Binding Factor; D012333:RNA, Messenger
keywords: CCAAT box-binding factor; NF-YB/HAP3/CBF-A; Tung tree; Vernicia fordii