Research progress on function of NAC transcription factors in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

NAC (NAM, ATAF1/ATAF2, and CUC2) transcription factors are one of the largest plant-specific transcription factor families discovered in the past two decades. All NAC proteins contain a highly conserved NAC domain at their N-termini, and a highly variable transcriptional regulatory region at their C-termini. Studies have confirmed that NAC transcription factors are widely involvement in regulating gene expression in plant life activities, and playing an important role in plant growth and development, including embryonic development, secondary growth, fruit ripening, senescence, cell death, and stress responses. In this review, the involvement of NAC transcription factors in regulating tomato plant growth and development, plant senescence, fruit ripening, and in responses to abiotic and biotic stresses and hormone signal transduction in recent years is summarized, within the context of broader research on NAC transcription factors in tomato. These providing reference for related research fields to more efficiently apply NAC transcription factors in tomato genetic improvement and breeding.