FK506-binding protein (FKBP) genes have been found to play vital roles in plant development and abiotic stress responses. However, limited information is available about this gene family in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). In this study, a total of 64 FKBP genes were identified in wheat via a genome-wide analysis involving a homologous search of the latest wheat genome data, which was unevenly distributed in 21 chromosomes, encoded 152 to 649 amino acids with molecular weights ranging from 16 kDa to 72 kDa, and was localized in the chloroplast, cytoplasm, nucleus, mitochondria, peroxisome and endoplasmic reticulum. Based on sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis, 64 TaFKBPs were divided into four different groups or subfamilies, providing evidence of an evolutionary relationship with Aegilops tauschii, Brachypodium distachyon, Triticum dicoccoides, Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa. Hormone-related, abiotic stress-related and development-related cis-elements were preferentially presented in promoters of TaFKBPs. The expression levels of TaFKBP genes were investigated using transcriptome data from the WheatExp database, which exhibited tissue-specific expression patterns. Moreover, TaFKBPs responded to drought and heat stress, and nine of them were randomly selected for validation by qRT-PCR. Yeast cells expressing TaFKBP19-2B-2 or TaFKBP18-6B showed increased influence on drought stress, indicating their negative roles in drought tolerance. Collectively, our results provide valuable information about the FKBP gene family in wheat and contribute to further characterization of FKBPs during plant development and abiotic stress responses, especially in drought stress.
Keywords: FKBP; PPIase; biotic and abiotic stress; qRT-PCR.