AUTHOR=Liu Ya-Li , Zheng Lei , Jin Long-Guo , Liu Yuan-Xia , Kong Ya-Nan , Wang Yi-Xuan , Yu Tai-Fei , Chen Jun , Zhou Yong-Bin , Chen Ming , Wang Feng-Zhi , Ma You-Zhi , Xu Zhao-Shi , Lan Jin-Hao 

TITLE=Genome-Wide Analysis of the Soybean TIFY Family and Identification of GmTIFY10e and GmTIFY10g Response to Salt Stress

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.845314

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2022.845314

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p>TIFY proteins play crucial roles in plant abiotic and biotic stress responses. Our transcriptome data revealed several <italic>TIFY</italic> family genes with significantly upregulated expression under drought, salt, and ABA treatments. However, the functions of the <italic>GmTIFY</italic> family genes are still unknown in abiotic stresses. We identified 38 <italic>GmTIFY</italic> genes and found that <italic>TIFY10</italic> homologous genes have the most duplication events, higher selection pressure, and more obvious response to abiotic stresses compared with other homologous genes. Expression pattern analysis showed that <italic>GmTIFY10e</italic> and <italic>GmTIFY10g</italic> genes were significantly induced by salt stress. Under salt stress, <italic>GmTIFY10e</italic> and <italic>GmTIFY10g</italic> transgenic <italic>Arabidopsis</italic> plants showed higher root lengths and fresh weights and had significantly better growth than the wild type (WT). In addition, overexpression of <italic>GmTIFY10e</italic> and <italic>GmTIFY10g</italic> genes in soybean improved salt tolerance by increasing the PRO, POD, and CAT contents and decreasing the MDA content; on the contrary, RNA interference plants showed sensitivity to salt stress. Overexpression of <italic>GmTIFY10e</italic> and <italic>GmTIFY10g</italic> in <italic>Arabidopsis</italic> and soybean could improve the salt tolerance of plants, while the RNAi of <italic>GmTIFY10e</italic> and <italic>GmTIFY10g</italic> significantly increased sensitivity to salt stress in soybean. Further analysis demonstrated that <italic>GmTIFY10e</italic> and <italic>GmTIFY10g</italic> genes changed the expression levels of genes related to the ABA signal pathway, including <italic>GmSnRK2</italic>, <italic>GmPP2C</italic>, <italic>GmMYC2</italic>, <italic>GmCAT1</italic>, and <italic>GmPOD</italic>. This study provides a basis for comprehensive analysis of the role of soybean <italic>TIFY</italic> genes in stress response in the future.</p>