Identification and functional analysis of the remorin gene TaREM4.3-A from wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

  • Int J Biol Macromol. 2026 May:360:151942. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2026.151942.
Li-Na Zhang  1 ,  Jing Luo  2 ,  Yao-Yao Wang  2 ,  Li-Juan Zhao  2 ,  Hao-Yuan Zhao  2 ,  Yi Li  2 ,  Ning Yang  2 ,  Jie Du  2 ,  Chuan Xia  3 ,  Li-Chao Zhang  3 ,  Xiu-Ying Kong  3
Affiliations
  • 1. College of Life Sciences, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730070, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 2. College of Life Sciences, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730070, China.
  • 3. Key Laboratory for Crop Gene Resources and Germplasm Enhancement, MOA, National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China.
PMID: 41967548 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2026.151942
Abstract

Remorin (REM) proteins play a pivotal role in plant growth and development. However, their functional characterization remains relatively limited in wheat. In this study, we identified the TaREM4.3-A gene, which belongs to group IV of the remorin family. The transcriptional levels of TaREM4.3-A were significantly upregulated by Abscisic acid (ABA), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and NaCl treatments, whereas it showed no response to exogenous brassinosteroid (BR) or cold treatment. Yeast one-hybrid and dual-luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that the Triticum aestivum basic leucine zipper 60 (TabZIP60) transcription factor (TF) positively regulates TaREM4.3-A expression by binding to its promoter region. Consistently, the expression level of TaREM4.3-A was notably enhanced in TabZIP60-overexpressing transgenic wheat lines. Overexpression of TaREM4.3-A in Arabidopsis resulted in reduced plant height and root growth rate, as well as inhibited BR biosynthesis and signaling pathways. Additionally, TaREM4.3-A overexpression delayed seed germination by modulating ABA and gibberellic acid (GA3) contents, as well as the expression levels of ABA/GA metabolism-related genes (AtCYP707A2, AtGA3ox1, and AtGA3ox2). Collectively, our findings indicate that TaREM4.3-A regulates seed germination, plant growth and development through the GA, ABA, and BR signaling pathways.

Keywords
ABA; BR; GA; Plant growth and development; TaREM4.3-A.
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