Understanding the Transcription Factor Mediated Regulatory Mechanism Towards Abiotic Stress Response in Cereal Crops

Published on 24 October 2023 | AgroEnvironmental Sustainability
Vol. 1 No. 3 (2023): December Issue | DOI: 10.59983/s2023010308
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AgroEnvironmental Sustainability
Tuward J. Dweh , Salma Kayastha , Manaswini Mahapatra , Jyoti Prakash Sahoo

Abstract

Cereal crops are critical to global food security and are valued for their adaptability and nutritional value. However, they are increasingly threatened by abiotic stresses such as water scarcity, high soil salinity, severe climatic conditions, and nutrient deficiencies. This review focuses on the central role of transcription factors (TFs) in the response of cereal crops to these environmental challenges. TFs, such as the DREB family, the bZIP family, and the WRKY family, emerge as central players in this intricate regulatory network. They initiate or inhibit the activation of stress-responsive genes by binding to specific cis-regulatory elements located in gene promoters and enhance the resilience of cereal crops to various abiotic stresses. For example, DREB1/CBF TFs alleviate cold stress, NAM, ATAF1/2, and CUC2 (NAC) factors combat salinity stress, and WRKY TFs modulate responses to drought, salinity, and cold stress by initiating vital physiological processes, including osmotic regulation, antioxidant defense, and ion homeostasis, ultimately promoting stress tolerance. Genetic engineering strategies that overexpress these stress-responsive genes and TFs hold great promise for enhancing crop resilience and productivity in the face of climate change. In addition, this review also emphasizes the potential of epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation and histone modifications, to fine-tune the control of genes that respond to abiotic stresses. These findings benefit agriculture by addressing global food security challenges.

Keywords

abiotic stress tolerance cereal crops gene regulation transcription factors

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How to Cite

Dweh, T. J., Kayastha, S., Mahapatra, M., & Sahoo, J. P. (2023). Understanding the Transcription Factor Mediated Regulatory Mechanism Towards Abiotic Stress Response in Cereal Crops. AgroEnvironmental Sustainability, 1(3), 265-273. https://doi.org/10.59983/s2023010308

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