MeGATAs, functional generalists in interactions between cassava growth and development, and abiotic stresses.

The proteins with DNA-binding preference to the consensus DNA sequence (A/T) GATA (A/G) belong to a GATA transcription factor family, with a wide array of biological processes in plants. Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is an important food crop with high production of starch in storage roots. Little was however known about cassava GATA domain-containing genes (MeGATA s). Thirty-six MeGATA s, MeGATA1 to MeGATA36 , were found in this study. Some MeGATA s showed a collinear relationship with orthologous genes of Arabidopsis , poplar and potato, rice, maize and sorghum. Eight MeGATA -encoded proteins (MeGATAs) analysed were all localized in the nucleus. Some MeGATAs had potentials of binding ligands and/or enzyme activity. One pair of tandem-duplicated MeGATA17–MeGATA18 and 30 pairs of whole genome-duplicated MeGATA s were found. Fourteen MeGATA s showed low or no expression in the tissues. Nine analysed MeGATA s showed expression responses to abiotic stresses and exogenous phytohormones. Three groups of MeGATA protein interactions were found. Fifty-three miRNAs which can target 18 MeGATA s were identified. Eight MeGATAs were found to target other 292 cassava genes, which were directed to radial pattern formation and phyllome development by gene ontology enrichment, and autophagy by Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment. These data suggest that MeGATA s are functional generalists in interactions between cassava growth and development, abiotic stresses and starch metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]