Characterization of wheat Wrab18 gene promoter and expression analysis under abiotic stress

BackgroundPromoters play key roles in plant gene expression in complex and varied natural environments. The type and amount of cis-acting elements in the promoter sequence tend to indicate the response of genes to induction factors. WRAB18 is a group III member of the late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) protein family that performs multiple functions in plant stress physiology. To elucidate the particularly biological effects of WRAB18 on stress, exploration of its promoter sequence is necessary.Methods and resultsIn this study, the full-length and promoter sequences of Wrab18 were isolated from the Zhengyin 1 cultivar of Triticum aestivum. The gene sequences and cis-acting elements in the promoter were analyzed using the Plant Promoter Database and bioinformatics methods. The results showed that Wrab18 possessed one intron with 100 bp, the promoter sequence contained various stress-related cis-acting elements, and the functionality of the promoter was checked using green fluorescent protein (GFP) marker protein expression by transient assay in Nicotiana benthamiana. Furthermore, based on promoter prediction analysis, quantitative real-time fluorescent PCR results confirmed the response of gene expression levels to stress factors.ConclusionsIn summary, the promoter sequence of Wrab18 plays a role in plant stress responses, contains multiple cis-acting elements, and provides insights into the role of WRAB18 in plant resilience to stress. This study has guiding significance for further studies of gene function and mechanism of action, and lays a theoretical foundation for improving wheat quality.

Automated summary

This study isolated the full-length and promoter sequences of Wrab18 from the Zhengyin 1 cultivar of Triticum aestivum and analyzed their characteristics. The results showed that the promoter sequence of Wrab18 contains multiple stress-related cis-acting elements and can be expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana. Moreover, gene expression levels were found to respond to stress factors. This study provides insights into the role of WRAB18 in plant stress responses and lays the foundation for further research on gene function and wheat quality improvement.