Genome-wide identification of the basic leucine zipper transcription factor genes related to starch synthesis in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

Abstract The growth and development of plants are dependent upon the transcription factors. In plants, the basic leucine zipper (bZIP) family of transcription factor is known for its largest size and diversity. Using newly available wheat genome data, we compared our identification of 181 Triticum aestivum bZIP (TabZIP) genes to those reported in earlier studies. One gene was characterized, and some duplicate genes and incorrect annotations in previous studies are supplemented and corrected. The 181 bZIP genes identified were divided into 13 known groups and 5 unknown groups by phylogenetic analysis. All of the bZIP genes exhibit a minimum of one bZIP motif in their motif distribution and gene structure. Spatial and temporal expression patterns of bZIP family members during various stages of plant growth vary, as suggested by transcriptome data. As per the expression data obtained via quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR), over 10 TabZIP genes showed similarity with starch synthesis in wheat. In vitro binding activity of TabZIP68 to the promoter of TaWaxy was demonstrated by a dual-luciferase reporter (LUC) assay. Given its potential involvement in starch synthesis, the TabZIP68gene presents itself as a strong candidate for further investigation.