Transcriptome-Wide Identification of TCP Transcription Factor Family Members in Pinus massoniana and Their Expression in Regulation of Development and in Response to Stress

Abstract

Pinus massoniana is an important coniferous tree species for barren mountain afforestation with enormous ecological and economic significance. It has strong adaptability to the environment. TEOSINTE BRANCHED 1/CYCLOIDEA/PCF (TCP) transcription factors (TFs) play crucial roles in plant stress response, hormone signal transduction, and development processes. At present, TCP TFs have been widely studied in multiple plant species, but research in P. massoniana has not been carried out. In this study, 13 PmTCP TFs were identified from the transcriptomes of P. massoniana. The phylogenetic results revealed that these PmTCP members were divided into two categories: Class I and Class II. Each PmTCP TF contained a conserved TCP domain, and the conserved motif types and numbers were similar in the same subgroup. According to the transcriptional profiling analysis under drought stress conditions, it was found that seven PmTCP genes responded to drought treatment to varying degrees. The qRT-PCR results showed that the majority of PmTCP genes were significantly expressed in the needles and may play a role in the developmental stage. Meanwhile, the PmTCPs could respond to several stresses and hormone treatments at different levels, which may be important for stress resistance. In addition, PmTCP7 and PmTCP12 were nuclear localization proteins, and PmTCP7 was a transcriptional suppressor. These results will help to explore the regulatory factors related to the growth and development of P. massoniana, enhance its stress resistance, and lay the foundation for further exploration of the physiological effects on PmTCPs.

Decoding drought resilience: a comprehensive exploration of the cotton Eceriferum (CER) gene family and its role in stress adaptation

“…bHLH transcription factors are associated with the biosynthesis of cuticular wax and tolerance to drought stress in Helianthus annuus L. [ 91 ]. TCP TFs control growth and development of plants and stress response [ 92 ]. MYB TFs modulate the biosynthesis of VLCFA, metabolism, plant development, and stress response [ 93 ].…”

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of YTH Gene Family for Abiotic Stress Regulation in Camellia chekiangoleosa

“…The tobacco leaves (grown for 20 d) were infested by Agrobacterium-mediated instantaneous transformation. Leaf samples (0.5 × 0.5 cm) dyed with DAPI were observed under a laser confocal microscope (Zeiss LSM710 META, UV excitation wavelength 488 nm, Carl Zeiss AG, Germany) at an excitation wavelength of 488 nm for GFP and 405 nm for DAPI [47].…”