Comprehensive Atlas of Wheat (.) Expression During Male Reproductive Development and Abiotic Stress.

AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR (ARF) proteins regulate a wide range of signaling pathways, from general plant growth to abiotic stress responses. Here, we performed a genome-wide survey in wheat () and identified 69 members that formed 24 homoeologous groups. Phylogenetic analysis clustered genes into three clades, similar to genes in () and rice (). Structural characterization suggested that gene structure and domain composition are well conserved between plant species. Expression profiling revealed diverse patterns of transcript levels across a range of developmental stages, tissues, and abiotic stresses. A number of genes shared similar expression patterns and were preferentially expressed in anthers. Moreover, our systematic analysis identified three anther-specific genes (, , and ) whose expression was significantly altered by low temperature in thermosensitive genic male-sterile (TGMS) wheat; these genes are candidates to participate in the cold-induced male sterility pathway, and offer potential applications in TGMS wheat breeding and hybrid seed production. Moreover, we identified putative functions for a set of involved in responses to abscisic acid and abiotic stress. Overall, this study characterized the wheat gene family and generated several hypotheses for future investigation of ARF function during anther development and abiotic stress.