植物NAC转录因子的生物学功能

Biological functions of plant NAC transcription factors

在长期进化过程中,植物体内形成精密的调控机制来抵御环境胁迫,转录因子在转录水平调控胁迫相关基因的表达进而参与调控植物的抗逆反应。NAC (NAM、ATAF1/2、CUC2)是植物特有的最大的转录因子家族之一,具有独特的结构特征,由保守的N端结构域和多变的C端转录激活域组成。很多物种的NAC转录因子已经被发现并进行了功能鉴定。一般而言,同源进化关系上属于同一家族的NAC转录因子具有相似的生物学功能。近年来,对NAC转录因子生物学功能的研究不断深入,表明NAC转录因子可以通过植物激素信号通路广泛调控植物的生长发育,如器官边界的建成、次生壁和根的生长、衰老过程等植物生命历程,并响应多种非生物和生物胁迫。本文综述了植物NAC转录因子参与生长发育、响应胁迫等生物学过程的研究进展,为深入探讨其调控机理及更好地将NAC基因应用于农业生产提供参考。

In the long-term evolution process,plants have formed complicated regulatory mechanism to resist environmental stress.Transcription factors regulate the expression of stress-related genes at the transcriptional level and participate in the regulation of plant stress resistance.NAC(NAM,ATAF1/2 and CUC2)is one of the plant-specific and largest families of transcription factors with unique structural characteristics.NAC consists of conservative N-terminal DNA-binding domain and variable C-terminal transcriptional activation domain.NAC transcription factors have been found and identified in many species.In general,NAC transcription factors belonging to the same family in homologous evolutionary relationships have similar biological function.In recent years,the research on the biological functions of NAC transcription factors has been deepening.It has been shown that NAC transcription factors can regulate plant growth and development through plant hormone signaling pathways,such as the formation of organ boundaries,secondary wall and root growth,plant senescence,and so on,as well as their response to a variety of abiotic and biotic stresses.In this paper,the biological functions of plant NAC transcription factors involved in growth and development,and response to biotic and abiotic stresses were summarized,which would lay the foundation for further study of its regulation mechanism and provide broad application prospects for agricultural production.