What Do We Know about Homeodomain?Leucine Zipper I Transcription Factors? Functional and Biotechnological Considerations

RIBONE PA; CAPELLA M; ARCE AL; CHAN RL

Plant Transcription Factors. Evolutionary, Structural and Functional Aspects

Elsevier

Año: 2015; p. 344 - 354

Plants are sessile organisms that need to adapt themselves to changing environmental conditions like fluctuations in water availability,illumination conditions, and extreme temperatures. The integration of environmental signals and plant growth is finely regulated at the transcriptional level by transcription factors (TFs). Among TFs, the homeodomain?leucine zipper (HD-Zip) family members are unique to the plant kingdom and are the most abundant group of homeodomain proteins in plants. These TFs, characterized by the presence of a homeodomain associated with a leucine zipper located in the middle of a ≈ 35 kDa protein, are divided in four groups (I?IV). Members of group I have often been implicated in plant development associated with stress adaptation. Aiming to unravel their functions and mechanisms, many HD-Zip I TFs have been identified and characterized in several species. In this chapter, we summarize current information on these TFs roles, expression patterns, and biotechnological uses