title: Identification and expression analysis of the NAC transcription factor family in durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. ssp. durum).
abstract: The NAC (NAM, ATAF and CUC) proteins belong to one of the largest plant-specific transcription factor (TF) families and play important roles in plant development processes, response to biotic and abiotic cues and hormone signaling. Our analysis led to the identification of 168 NAC genes in durum wheat, including nine putative membrane-bound TFs and 48 homeologous genes pairs. Phylogenetic analyses of TtNACs along with their Arabidopsis, grape, barley and rice counterparts divided these proteins into 8 phylogenetic groups and allowed the identification of TtNAC-A7, TtNAC-B35, TtNAC-A68, TtNAC-B69 and TtNAC-A43 as homologs of OsNAC1, OsNAC8, OsNTL2, OsNTL5 and ANAC025/NTL14, respectively. In silico expression analysis, using RNA-seq data, revealed tissue-specific and stress responsive TtNAC genes. The expression of ten selected genes was analyzed under salt and drought stresses in two contrasting tolerance cultivars. This analysis is the first report of NAC gene family in durum wheat and will be useful for the identification and selection of candidate genes associated with stress tolerance.
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology and Plant Improvement Laboratory, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, PO Box 1177, Road Sidi Mansour 6 km, Sfax 3018, Tunisia. Electronic address: saiidimn@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mohammed Najib
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Saidi
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology and Plant Improvement Laboratory, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, PO Box 1177, Road Sidi Mansour 6 km, Sfax 3018, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Dhawya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mergby
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology and Plant Improvement Laboratory, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, PO Box 1177, Road Sidi Mansour 6 km, Sfax 3018, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Faiçal
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brini
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D032461:Chromosomes, Plant / Q000378:metabolism; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D055864:Droughts; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects; D017343:Genes, Plant; D005810:Multigene Family; D010802:Phylogeny; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D011485:Protein Binding; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014908:Triticum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors
keywords: Abiotic stress; Durum wheat; Expression analysis; NAC transcription factors