Molecular characterization of the heat shock transcription factors in switchgrass highlights PvHsf16 conferring cadmium stress
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Heat shock transcription factors (Hsfs) play crucial roles in plants' responses to abiotic stress. However, the identification of Hsf family genes and their stress tolerance functions in switchgrass are less well studied. This study aimed to screen and identify PvHsf genes from the whole genome of switchgrass. A total of 51 PvHsfs were identified and categorized into three classes: Class A (PvHsf01−PvHsf28), Class B (PvHsf29−PvHsf42), and Class C (PvHsf43−PvHsf51). Collinearity analysis revealed that 46 PvHsfs had 42 collinearity relationships, and PvHsf49 and PvHsf50 were a pair of tandem duplicate genes. Developmental and stress-regulatory expression patterns of PvHsfs were also analyzed in various tissues and developmental stages or under NaCl, PEG, ABA, and CdCl2 treatments. Nine PvHsfs were responsive to CdCl2-treatment, including PvHsf3, PvHsf4, PvHsf16, PvHsf19, PvHsf23, PvHsf24, PvHsf35, PvHsf44, and PvHsf45, which were evaluated for their roles in cadmium (Cd) tolerance. By ectopic expressing these PvHsf genes in a Cd-sensitive yeast mutant, yeast cells expressing PvHsf3 and PvHsf16 exhibited higher Cd tolerance and the best result was by expressing PvHsf16. PvHsf16 was subcellularly localized in the nucleus. Expressing PvHsf16 in Arabidopsis led to enhanced Cd tolerance with significantly higher Chl content, root length, and biomass compared to the WT plants under CdCl2 treatment. Knowledge gained from this study will facilitate further functional analysis of PvHsfs, particularly PvHsf16, for molecular breeding of switchgrass and other related grass species.
Source: Grass Research
Authors: Gang Song, Hao Guan, Zhigang Fang, Yanling Ji, Jing Zhang, Bin Xu
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: diamond
Awards: G1298257875, G1926837368, G5436511695
OpenAlex ID: W4406211164