植物NAC转录因子

NAC Transcription Factors in Plants

植物生命过程依赖众多转录因子去调控基因的表达。NAC类蛋白是近十多年来新发现的一类植物特有的、数量较多的转录因子家族。研究发现,拥有一个介导DNA结合的特有的N末端新转录因子折叠结构域和一个具有高度多样性的C端转录功能区是这类转录因子共同的结构特征。NAC转录因子不仅普遍参与了植物生长发育过程的调控,包括茎顶端分生组织、花器官的发育、侧根的形成、细胞次生壁的形成以及叶片衰老等,还参与了胁迫应答、激素调控以及诱导寄主对病原菌侵染产生抗性等过程。本文综述了植物NAC转录因子的结构特征、生物学功能、作用机理以及表达调控等方面的研究进展,对该领域的研究进行了展望。

Life activities in plants depend on a multitude of transcription factors to regulate the involved gene expression. All NAC proteins constitute one of the largest families of Plant specific transcription factors.Three-dimensional structure of NAC protein has been determined consisting of a novel unique transcription factor fold in N-terminal ends and a highly varying transcription regulatory domain in C-terminal ends.NAC transcription factors have been not only implicated in plant growth and developmental processes,including formation of shoot apical meristem,lateral root system,secondary walls and leaf senescence,but also involved in stress responses,hormone regulations and physiological defences.In this review, we focus on structural characteristics and biological functions of plant NAC transcription factors,together with its functional mechanism and expression regulation.