Characterization and Identification of VOZ Gene Family in Selected Seed Producing Plants Under Abiotic Stresses, with Reference to Triticum aestivum

Abstract

Abiotic stress is the major cause of the decrease in the quality and yield of crops worldwide. Due to changing environmental conditions, growing crops is more challenging than ever. To increase the yield of crop plants, biotic and abiotic stress tolerance is crucial. The changes at a biochemical and physiological level due to stress conditions are responded to by altering gene expression. Gene expression is controlled by transcription factors at the transcriptome level. One such transcription factor with a reported role in abiotic stress tolerance is the Vascular one-zinc finger protein (VOZ) transcription factor family including VOZ1 and VOZ2. Transcriptional regulation of stress-responsive mechanisms and genes can help plants survive during stress and increase the yield and quality of crops. The current study is an attempt to find vascular one-zinc finger (VOZ) genes in important crops through in-silico analysis and to confirm the presence of (VOZ) genes in Triticum aestivum through expression analysis against three different abiotic stresses i.e., salt stress, nitrogen variation stress, and drought stress. For this study, 26 spermatophytes were selected keeping Arabidopsis as a model plant to find VOZ genes and the similarity of VOZ genes in these plants via phylogenetic analysis. Further, stress assays were performed in a hydroponic system recording physiological data of plants at two different time intervals under different conditions. In-silico analysis, statistical results of phenotypic data, and gene expression data reveal the domain architecture, its relation to abiotic stress, variation in physiological parameters at different treatments, and VOZ genes up/ down-regulation in response to salt, drought, and variable nitrogen stress.