Genome-wide characterization and expression profiling of NAC transcription factor genes under abiotic stresses in radish (Raphanus sativus L.)
Bernard Kinuthia Karanja,
Liang Xu,
Yan Wang,
Everlyne M’mbone Muleke,
Bashir Mohammed Jabir,
Yang Xie,
Xianwen Zhu,
Wanwan Cheng,
Liwang Liu
Affiliations
Bernard Kinuthia Karanja
National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Crop Biology and Genetic Improvement (East China) of MOA, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
Liang Xu
National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Crop Biology and Genetic Improvement (East China) of MOA, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
Yan Wang
National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Crop Biology and Genetic Improvement (East China) of MOA, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
Everlyne M’mbone Muleke
National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Crop Biology and Genetic Improvement (East China) of MOA, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
Bashir Mohammed Jabir
National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Crop Biology and Genetic Improvement (East China) of MOA, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
Yang Xie
National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Crop Biology and Genetic Improvement (East China) of MOA, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
Xianwen Zhu
Department of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, United States of America
Wanwan Cheng
National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Crop Biology and Genetic Improvement (East China) of MOA, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
Liwang Liu
National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Crop Biology and Genetic Improvement (East China) of MOA, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
NAC (NAM, no apical meristem; ATAF, Arabidopsis transcription activation factor and CUC, cup-shaped cotyledon) proteins are among the largest transcription factor (TF) families playing fundamental biological processes, including cell expansion and differentiation, and hormone signaling in response to biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, 172 RsNACs comprising 17 membrane-bound members were identified from the whole radish genome. In total, 98 RsNAC genes were non-uniformly distributed across the nine radish chromosomes. In silico analysis revealed that expression patterns of several NAC genes were tissue-specific such as a preferential expression in roots and leaves. In addition, 21 representative NAC genes were selected to investigate their responses to heavy metals (HMs), salt, heat, drought and abscisic acid (ABA) stresses using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). As a result, differential expressions among these genes were identified where RsNAC023 and RsNAC080 genes responded positively to all stresses except ABA, while RsNAC145 responded more actively to salt, heat and drought stresses compared with other genes. The results provides more valuable information and robust candidate genes for future functional analysis for improving abiotic stress tolerances in radish.
