Genome-Wide Analysis of the C3H Zinc Finger Transcription Factor Family and Drought Responses of Members in Aegilops tauschii

Transcription factors regulate gene expression in response to various external and internal cues by activating or suppressing downstream genes. In this study, a comprehensive computational analysis identified 36 C3H zinc finger family genes in Aegilops tauschii. Phylogenetic analysis divided the C3H zinc finger family into seven subfamilies. According to a de novo transcriptome assembly, ten C3H zinc finger genes were drought-induced; among them, AetTZF1 showed the most significant transcript level. Transient expression in A. tauschii protoplasts indicated that AetTZF1 protein was localized in the cell membrane. Yeast transactivation assays suggested that AetTZF1 could activate transcription in yeast. AetTZF1 increased stress tolerance to drought by promoting root growth and increasing germination rates in Arabidopsis. Overexpression of AetTZF1 led to an altered expression level of stress-related genes that made the plants more tolerant to drought. Putative cis-acting elements involved in abiotic stresses were observed in the AetTZF1 promoter region. Our comparative genomics analysis of C3H zinc finger family genes in A. tauschii provides data for functional dissection of this family.