Genome-Wide Analysis of the Gene Family under Abiotic Stress and Characterization of the Gene.

Heat shock factors (Hsfs) play a crucial role in plant defense processes. However, the distribution and functional characteristics of Hsf genes in the relict plant are still unclear. In this study, a total of 19 were identified and divided into three separate subgroups, comprising 10 , 7 , and 2 genes, respectively, based on their phylogenetic tree and the presence/absence of conserved protein domains. Whole-genome duplication and segmental duplication led to an expansion of the gene family. The promoters of genes are enriched for different types of -acting elements, including hormone responsive and abiotic-stress-responsive elements. The expression of , , , , and increased significantly as a result of both cold and drought treatments. , , and act as important genes whose expression levels correlate strongly with the expression of the , , and genes under heat stress. In addition, we found that transiently transformed seedlings showed significantly lower levels of hydrogen peroxide (HO) after heat stress and showed a stronger thermotolerance. This study sheds light on the possible functions of genes under abiotic stress and identifies potentially useful genes to target for molecular breeding, in order to develop more stress-resistant varieties.