Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the calmodulin-binding transcription activator (CAMTA) gene family in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

Background Plant calmodulin-binding transcription activator (CAMTA) proteins play important roles in hormone signal transduction, developmental regulation, and environmental stress tolerance. However, in wheat, the CAMTA gene family has not been systematically characterized. Results In this work, 15 wheat CAMTA genes were identified using a genome-wide search method. Their chromosome location, physicochemical properties, subcellular localization, gene structure, protein domain, and promoter cis-elements were systematically analyzed. Phylogenetic analysis classified the TaCAMTA genes into three groups (groups A, B, and C), numbered 7, 6, and 2, respectively. The results showed that most TaCAMTA genes contained stress-related cis-elements. Finally, to obtain tissue-specific and stress-responsive candidates, the expression profiles of the TaCAMTAs in various tissues and under biotic and abiotic stresses were investigated. Tissue-specific expression analysis showed that all of the 15 TaCAMTA genes were expressed in multiple tissues with different expression levels, as well as under abiotic stress, the expressions of each TaCAMTA gene could respond to at least one abiotic stress. It also found that 584 genes in wheat genome were predicted to be potential target genes by CAMTA, demonstrating that CAMTA can be widely involved in plant development and growth, as well as coping with stresses. Conclusions This work systematically identified the CAMTA gene family in wheat at the whole-genome-wide level, providing important candidates for further functional analysis in developmental regulation and the stress response in wheat.

Ca2+/Calmodulin Complex Triggers CAMTA Transcriptional Machinery Under Stress in Plants: Signaling Cascade and Molecular Regulation

“…Recently, in Gossypium species, GrCAMTA5.2 , GrCAMTA5.3 , and GhCAMTA3D.1 , GhCAMTA5D.1 were depicted as TIG lacking CAMTAs in Gossypium raimondii and Gossypium hirsutum , respectively ( Pant et al, 2018 ). Similar to Gossypium study, five TaCAMTAs ( Triticum aestivum CAMTA), namely, TaCAMTA1-A/B/D and TaCAMTA5-A/D , also lacked TIG domain ( Yang et al, 2020 ). The domain organization of six Arabidopsis CAMTAs, analyzed bioinformatically, is shown in Figure 2 .…”

“…This might be due to the functional differentiation in some homologous TaCAMTA genes. Additionally, in the study, it was depicted that 584 genes in the wheat genome can be potential targets of TaCAMTA , indicating the probable role of CAMTA in stress biology and plant development ( Yang et al, 2020 ). Furthermore, TaCAMTA4 had been demonstrated to function as negative regulator of defense response against Puccinia triticina ( Wang et al, 2019 ).…”

“…Various in silico and quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) approaches were deployed to assess the involvement of CAMTAs under different abiotic stress conditions. For example, Zea mays (corn) ZmCAMTAs in drought, cold, salt, and hormonal signaling ( Yue et al, 2015 ); Fragaria ananassa (Strawberry) FaCAMTAs in heat, cold, salt, and ethylene stress ( Leng et al, 2015 ); T. aestivum (wheat) TaCAMTAs in cold, salt, heat, and drought stress ( Yang et al, 2020 ); Citrus sinensis (sweet orange) CitCAMTAs in salinity, dehydration, and hormonal response ( Zhang et al, 2019 ); and Linum usitatissimum (Flax) LuCAMTAs in drought, low temperature, and light responses ( Ali et al, 2020 ) (discussed in detail in Recent Discoveries of CAMTAs in Various Crop Plants ).…”

“…These observations led the authors to hypothesize the involvement of CitCAMTAs in abiotic stress pathways and hormonal regulation ( Zhang et al, 2019 ). Genome-wide identification also led to the identification of 15 wheat CAMTA genes, which were classified into three groups A, B, and C containing seven, six, and two TaCAMTAs , respectively ( Yang et al, 2020 ). Most of the TaCAMTAs contained stress-responsive cis- regulatory elements.…”

Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of calmodulin and calmodulin-like genes in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

“…Plant growth and abiotic stress treatments were conducted as described previously. 46 Jinhe 9123, a wheat cultivar bred by ourselves and preserved in our lab, was used in this study. The seeds were surface-sterilized for 10 minutes in 1% NaOCl and repeatedly rinsed with tap water three times, then seeded in 1/2 Hoagland nutrient solution after immersion and imbibition for 12 h, and hydroponically cultivated in the incubator with a 16/8-h photoperiod at 25°C.…”