Research Information System
PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, vol.114, no.43, pp.1-22, 2024 (SCI-Expanded)
The GATA transcription factors (TFs) have been extensively studied for its regulatory role in various biological processes
in many plant species. The functional and molecular mechanism of GATA TFs in regulating tolerance to abiotic stress has
not yet been studied in the common bean. This study analyzed the functional identity of the GATA gene family in the P.
vulgaris genome under different abiotic and phytohormonal stress. The GATA gene family was systematically investigated
in the P. vulgaris genome, and 31 PvGATA TFs were identified. The study found that 18 out of 31 PvGATA genes had
undergone duplication events, emphasizing the role of gene duplication in GATA gene expansion. All the PvGATA genes
were classified into four significant subfamilies, with 8, 3, 6, and 13 members in each subfamily (subfamilies I, II, III,
and IV), respectively. All PvGATA protein sequences contained a single GATA domain, but subfamily II members had
additional domains such as CCT and tify. A total of 799 promoter cis-regulatory elements (CREs) were predicted in the
PvGATAs. Additionally, we used qRT-PCR to investigate the expression profiles of five PvGATA genes in the common
bean roots under abiotic conditions. The results suggest that PvGATA01/10/25/28 may play crucial roles in regulating
plant resistance against salt and drought stress and may be involved in phytohormone-mediated stress signaling pathways.
PvGATA28 was selected for overexpression and cloned into N. benthamiana using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Transgenic lines were subjected to abiotic stress, and results showed a significant tolerance of transgenic lines to
stress conditions compared to wild-type counterparts. The seed germination assay suggested an extended dormancy of
transgenic lines compared to wild-type lines. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the PvGATA gene family,
which can serve as a foundation for future research on the function of GATA TFs in abiotic stress tolerance in common
bean plants