title: The ERF transcription factor family in cassava: genome-wide characterization and expression analyses against drought stress.
abstract: Cassava (Manihot esculenta) shows strong tolerance to drought stress; however, the mechanisms underlying this tolerance are poorly understood. Ethylene response factor (ERF) family genes play a crucial role in plants responding to abiotic stress. Currently, less information is known regarding the ERF family in cassava. Herein, 147 ERF genes were characterized from cassava based on the complete genome data, which was further supported by phylogenetic relationship, gene structure, and conserved motif analyses. Transcriptome analysis suggested that most of the MeERF genes have similar expression profiles between W14 and Arg7 during organ development. Comparative expression profiles revealed that the function of MeERFs in drought tolerance may be differentiated in roots and leaves of different genotypes. W14 maintained strong tolerance by activating more MeERF genes in roots compared to Arg7 and SC124, whereas Arg7 and SC124 maintained drought tolerance by inducing more MeERF genes in leaves relative to W14. Expression analyses of the selected MeERF genes showed that most of them are significantly upregulated by osmotic and salt stresses, whereas slightly induced by cold stress. Taken together, this study identified candidate MeERF genes for genetic improvement of abiotic stress tolerance and provided new insights into ERF-mediated cassava tolerance to drought stress.
authors.affiliation: College of Resources and Environment, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, China.
authors.forename: Meirong
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hai
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, 571101, China.
authors.forename: Yunling
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, 571101, China.
authors.forename: Zehong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, 571101, China.
authors.forename: Weiwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tie
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, 571101, China.
authors.forename: Xupo
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, 571101, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Hainan Key Laboratory for Sustainable Utilization of Tropical Bioresources, College of Agriculture, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China.
authors.forename: Yunxie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, 571101, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, 571101, China.
authors.forename: Chunlai
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Hainan Key Laboratory for Sustainable Utilization of Tropical Bioresources, College of Agriculture, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China.
authors.forename: Haitao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, 571101, China.
authors.forename: Kaimian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, 571101, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics; D003080:Cold Temperature; D017124:Conserved Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D055864:Droughts; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant; D018745:Genome, Plant; D005838:Genotype; D002365:Manihot / Q000235:genetics*; D005810:Multigene Family; D059372:Nucleotide Motifs / Q000235:genetics; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D010802:Phylogeny; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000235:genetics*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D012965:Sodium Chloride