Identification of the Brassinazole-Resistant ( BZR ) Gene Family in Wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) and the Molecular Cloning and Functional Characterization of TaBZR2.1

Brassinazole-resistant (BZR) transcription factors are important transcription factors in Brassinosteroid (BR)-responsive gene expression. However, limited knowledge exists regarding the genes in wheat and a limited number of family genes have been previously reported in wheat. In this study, the synteny analyses of the genes suggested that gene duplication events have played an essential role in the family during evolution. The results of RT-qPCR and transcriptome data analyses exhibited remarkable expression patterns in the genes in different tissues and under different treatments. The yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) screen result showed that the TaBZR2.1 protein interacts with Argonaute 4 (AGO4). Taken together, our results not only provide us a basis for understanding the molecular characteristics and expression patterns of the family genes but also offered the functional characterization of in wheat.