Identification of Ethylene Response Factors in Wheat Reveals That <i>TaERF16-B</i> Contributes to Salt Tolerance

Soil salinization is a major abiotic stressor that significantly reduces wheat yield. Identifying novel salt-tolerance genes and integrating them into wheat breeding programs can enhance wheat productivity in saline soils. Ethylene response factor (ERF) plays an important role in plant response to s...

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Main Authors: Lei Zhang, Aili Wei, Jiating Chen, Lijuan Wu, Tian Li, Linyi Qiao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Plants
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/4/621
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author Lei Zhang
Aili Wei
Jiating Chen
Lijuan Wu
Tian Li
Linyi Qiao
author_facet Lei Zhang
Aili Wei
Jiating Chen
Lijuan Wu
Tian Li
Linyi Qiao
author_sort Lei Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Soil salinization is a major abiotic stressor that significantly reduces wheat yield. Identifying novel salt-tolerance genes and integrating them into wheat breeding programs can enhance wheat productivity in saline soils. Ethylene response factor (ERF) plays an important role in plant response to salt stress, and thus far, four wheat <i>ERF</i> genes have been identified to be involved in salt stress response. To systematically identify salt tolerance-related <i>ERF</i> genes in wheat, in this study, 213 <i>ERF</i> sequences were isolated from the whole genome of common wheat and classified into 54 members based on subgenome homology, named <i>TaERF1</i> to <i>TaERF54</i>. Transcriptome sequencing results showed different expression patterns of <i>TaERF</i> members in leaves after 1, 6, 24, and 48 h of NaCl treatment. Based on association analysis, nine <i>TaERF</i> genes were correlated with the leaf salt injury index. Among them, five SNPs of <i>TaERF16-B</i> formed two haplotypes: Hap1 and Hap2. RT-qPCR results showed that the expression level of <i>TaERF16-B</i> was significantly higher in Hap2-typed germplasms than that in Hap1-typed germplasms after 1 and 6 h of NaCl treatment. A Kompetitive Allele-Specific PCR marker K52 was developed for genotyping <i>TaERF16-B</i> haplotypes, which further confirmed the significant correlation between <i>TaERF16-B</i> and salt tolerance-related phenotypes in mapping population and wheat germplasms. This study provides new genes and molecular markers for improving salt tolerance in wheat.
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spelling doaj-art-8ccd82e2fcf648f4ae3f7c894767fb8a2025-08-20T02:44:56ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472025-02-0114462110.3390/plants14040621Identification of Ethylene Response Factors in Wheat Reveals That <i>TaERF16-B</i> Contributes to Salt ToleranceLei Zhang0Aili Wei1Jiating Chen2Lijuan Wu3Tian Li4Linyi Qiao5College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Taiyuan Normal University, Taiyuan 030619, ChinaCollege of Biological Sciences and Technology, Taiyuan Normal University, Taiyuan 030619, ChinaShanxi Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Molecular Improvement, College of Agronomy, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taiyuan 030031, ChinaShanxi Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Molecular Improvement, College of Agronomy, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taiyuan 030031, ChinaInstitute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, ChinaShanxi Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Molecular Improvement, College of Agronomy, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taiyuan 030031, ChinaSoil salinization is a major abiotic stressor that significantly reduces wheat yield. Identifying novel salt-tolerance genes and integrating them into wheat breeding programs can enhance wheat productivity in saline soils. Ethylene response factor (ERF) plays an important role in plant response to salt stress, and thus far, four wheat <i>ERF</i> genes have been identified to be involved in salt stress response. To systematically identify salt tolerance-related <i>ERF</i> genes in wheat, in this study, 213 <i>ERF</i> sequences were isolated from the whole genome of common wheat and classified into 54 members based on subgenome homology, named <i>TaERF1</i> to <i>TaERF54</i>. Transcriptome sequencing results showed different expression patterns of <i>TaERF</i> members in leaves after 1, 6, 24, and 48 h of NaCl treatment. Based on association analysis, nine <i>TaERF</i> genes were correlated with the leaf salt injury index. Among them, five SNPs of <i>TaERF16-B</i> formed two haplotypes: Hap1 and Hap2. RT-qPCR results showed that the expression level of <i>TaERF16-B</i> was significantly higher in Hap2-typed germplasms than that in Hap1-typed germplasms after 1 and 6 h of NaCl treatment. A Kompetitive Allele-Specific PCR marker K52 was developed for genotyping <i>TaERF16-B</i> haplotypes, which further confirmed the significant correlation between <i>TaERF16-B</i> and salt tolerance-related phenotypes in mapping population and wheat germplasms. This study provides new genes and molecular markers for improving salt tolerance in wheat.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/4/621wheat<i>ERF</i> genessalt stresstranscriptomeassociation analysis
spellingShingle Lei Zhang
Aili Wei
Jiating Chen
Lijuan Wu
Tian Li
Linyi Qiao
Identification of Ethylene Response Factors in Wheat Reveals That <i>TaERF16-B</i> Contributes to Salt Tolerance
Plants
wheat
<i>ERF</i> genes
salt stress
transcriptome
association analysis
title Identification of Ethylene Response Factors in Wheat Reveals That <i>TaERF16-B</i> Contributes to Salt Tolerance
title_full Identification of Ethylene Response Factors in Wheat Reveals That <i>TaERF16-B</i> Contributes to Salt Tolerance
title_fullStr Identification of Ethylene Response Factors in Wheat Reveals That <i>TaERF16-B</i> Contributes to Salt Tolerance
title_full_unstemmed Identification of Ethylene Response Factors in Wheat Reveals That <i>TaERF16-B</i> Contributes to Salt Tolerance
title_short Identification of Ethylene Response Factors in Wheat Reveals That <i>TaERF16-B</i> Contributes to Salt Tolerance
title_sort identification of ethylene response factors in wheat reveals that i taerf16 b i contributes to salt tolerance
topic wheat
<i>ERF</i> genes
salt stress
transcriptome
association analysis
url https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/4/621
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AT ailiwei identificationofethyleneresponsefactorsinwheatrevealsthatitaerf16bicontributestosalttolerance
AT jiatingchen identificationofethyleneresponsefactorsinwheatrevealsthatitaerf16bicontributestosalttolerance
AT lijuanwu identificationofethyleneresponsefactorsinwheatrevealsthatitaerf16bicontributestosalttolerance
AT tianli identificationofethyleneresponsefactorsinwheatrevealsthatitaerf16bicontributestosalttolerance
AT linyiqiao identificationofethyleneresponsefactorsinwheatrevealsthatitaerf16bicontributestosalttolerance