Altered expression levels of transcripts of GNAC TFs during drought stress in susceptible and tolerant cultivars of groundnut

Abstract

By modulating gene expression, transcription factors (TFs) play a key role in conferring drought resistance. During drought, NAC, one of the major plant-specific transcription factor families, is found to be substantially up-regulated, indicating that it influences the gene(s) involved in drought tolerance. The goal of this study was to get insight into how the drought-tolerant wild type A. duranensis and the susceptible variety GJG 22 altered their expression levels of GNAC TFs during drought and after re-watering. Physio-biochemical parameters like relative water content electrolytic leakage, chlorophyll content, osmotic potential, and proline content were examined, along with this differential gene expression, with eleven GNAC TF water stress- related genes were evaluated in both types at different stages. In the drought-tolerant cultivars, nine TF(s) were upregulated, whereas, six were up-regulated in GJG 22. Five GNAC TFs in A. duranensis and four in GJG22 were elevated post revival. The influence of drought and revival on physio-biochemical parameters and the degree of expression of GNAC genes, as well as the impact on drought tolerance in plants, is revealed by this finding. Insight into the mechanisms of drought resistance in groundnut might lead to new possibilities in crop development utilizing molecular breeding and biotechnology.

Keywords

• Groundnut
• NAC TFs
• Drought stress
• Differential gene expression