Identification, expression analysis, and function evaluation of 42 tomato DEAD-box RNA helicase genes in growth development and stress response

Abstract

DEAD-box RNA helicases play pivotal roles in almost all processes in RNA metabolisms, associated with various cellular functions including plant development and the response to abiotic stress. Previously, although DEAD-box genes were identified in tomato genome, specific molecular characterizations regarding development- and/or stress-related tomato DEAD-box genes are still rudimentary. In this study, a systematic expression analysis and function evaluation of 42 DEAD-box RNA helicase genes was conducted in the growth development and stress response of tomato using qRT-PCR. The results revealed that these SlDEAD genes showed discrepant tissue-/organ-specific (such as leaf, flower and fruit) expression levels, indicating that they might play important and different roles in tomato development. Variant expression profiles of many SlDEAD genes were observed when treated with different hormones including ABA, ACC, GA3, IAA, and SA. Moreover, the transcription of multiple tomato SlDEAD genes was also upregulated by multiple abiotic stresses, such as salinity, dehydration, and heat and cold stresses. Cumulatively, the data will be valuable to comprehensive functional characterization of SlDEAD genes, and to support the thesis that DEAD-box RNA helicases may represent one of the main components that mediate hormone signaling and stress responses in tomato.