The Transcription Factor ZmNAC89 Gene Is Involved in Salt Tolerance in Maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

The NAC gene family has transcription factors specific to plants, which are involved in development and stress response and adaptation. In this study, ZmNAC89, an NAC gene in maize that plays a role in saline–alkaline tolerance, was isolated and characterized. ZmNAC89 was localized in the nucleus and had transcriptional activation activity during in vitro experiments. The expression of ZmNAC89 was strongly upregulated under saline–alkaline, drought and ABA treatments. Overexpression of the ZmNAC89 gene in transgenic Arabidopsis and maize enhanced salt tolerance at the seedling stage. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were then confirmed via RNA-sequencing analysis with the transgenic maize line. GO analyses showed that oxidation–reduction process-regulated genes were involved in ZmNAC89-mediated salt–alkaline stress. ZmNAC89 may regulate maize saline–alkali tolerance through the REDOX pathway and ABA signal transduction pathway. From 140 inbred maize lines, 20 haplotypes and 16 SNPs were found in the coding region of the ZmNAC89 gene, including the excellent haplotype HAP20. These results contribute to a better understanding of the response mechanism of maize to salt–alkali stress and marker-assisted selection during maize breeding.

Transcriptional Control of Seed Life: New Insights into the Role of the NAC Family

“…However, there is limited information available on stress-related NAC genes in maize, despite the identification of a total of 190 predicted NAC members. With respect to salt tolerance, recent research in Zea mays demonstrated the involvement of the ZmNAC89 gene in stress caused by Na 2 CO 3 [138]. Here are some key properties of ZmNAC89: (i) it possesses transcriptional activation activity and is a nuclear protein; (ii) it exhibits outstanding function against salt-alkali tolerance, with overexpression of ZmNAC89 improving both stresses in A. thaliana; and (iii) its expression is induced by ABA, being upregulated under ABA stress [138].…”

“…With respect to salt tolerance, recent research in Zea mays demonstrated the involvement of the ZmNAC89 gene in stress caused by Na 2 CO 3 [138]. Here are some key properties of ZmNAC89: (i) it possesses transcriptional activation activity and is a nuclear protein; (ii) it exhibits outstanding function against salt-alkali tolerance, with overexpression of ZmNAC89 improving both stresses in A. thaliana; and (iii) its expression is induced by ABA, being upregulated under ABA stress [138]. These findings collectively highlight ZmNAC89 as a stress-responsive TF with promising attributes for enhancing salt and alkali tolerance in plants.…”