Zinc Finger-Homeodomain Transcriptional Factors (ZF-HDs) in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.): Identification, Evolution, Expression Analysis and Response to Abiotic Stresses

Zinc finger-homeodomain transcriptional factors (ZF-HDs), a kind of plant-specific transcription factor, play important roles in plant growth, development and various stress responses. In this study, the genome-wide analysis of the ZF-HD gene family was performed in wheat. A total of 37 TaZF-HD genes were identified in T. aestivum and classified into six groups. The results of a synteny analysis showed that gene replication events contributed to the expansion of the TaZF-HD gene family. The TaZF-HD paralogous gene pairs with similar chromosomal locations in different subgenomes had similar expression patterns. TaZF-HDs were highly induced under PEG (polyethylene glycol), NaCl and cold stress but not induced under heat stress. Gene ontology (GO) annotation and protein-protein interactions suggested that TaZF-HD proteins may participate in various biological processes of plants. These results increase our understanding of ZF-HD genes and provide robust candidate genes for future functional investigations aimed at crop improvement.