The GATA Gene Family in Chickpea: Structure Analysis and Transcriptional Responses to Abscisic Acid and Dehydration Treatments Revealed Potential Genes Involved in Drought Adaptation

Abstract

The GATA transcription factors are important transcriptional regulators of plant growth and responses to environmental stimuli. Here, a total of 25 CaGATA genes was identified in chickpea (Cicer arietinum), and their basic characteristics, including gene structure, duplication patterns, conserved domains and various physical and chemical parameters were subsequently determined. Of our interest, the enrichment of the hormone- and stress-responsive cis-regulatory elements in the promoters of CaGATA genes has been analyzed to predict the CaGATA members with potential hormone-mediated functions in stress tolerance. Furthermore, the tissue-specific expression patterns of the CaGATA genes were assessed using the available transcriptome data. More importantly, transcript levels of the identified CaGATA genes were quantified in roots and leaves of chickpea seedlings exposed to ABA (abscisic acid) or dehydration treatment using real-time quantitative PCR. Expression levels of a total of 12 CaGATA genes were significantly altered in roots and/or leaves by both ABA and dehydration treatments, suggesting that these genes might play roles in regulation of chickpea response to water stress in an ABA-dependent manner. Out of these genes, only CaGATA04 was induced in both roots and leaves by ABA and dehydration treatments. Furthermore, CaGATA05 and 21 were the most highly induced in roots (8.55-fold) and leaves (4.90-fold), respectively, by dehydration. Findings of this study have provided important insights into the CaGATA family of chickpea, as well as useful information for selection of CaGATA genes of interest for in-depth functional characterizations that might lead to development of chickpea cultivars with improved performance under water-deficit conditions.