Genome-wide analysis of Ariadne genes associated with drought and salt stress tolerance in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Background The Ariadne ( ARI ) gene family belongs to RBR-type E3 ubiquitin ligases and regulates plant growth, development, and abiotic stress responses. However, a systematic genome-wide analysis of the ARI family has not been reported in wheat. Results In this study, we identified 21 TaARI genes that were unevenly distributed on 12 chromosomes. The phylogenetic analysis showed that ARI proteins were divided into A, B, and C subfamilies. Most TaARIs existed in subfamilies A and B, and only TaARI7-D belonged to subfamilies C. TaARIs with closer phylogenetic relationships had similar gene structures and conserved motifs. Promoter cis -acting element analysis revealed that stress-responsive elements were the most abundant in the promoter of TaARI s. Expression profiling demonstrated that most TaARI s were preferentially expressed in roots, and induced by PEG-simulated drought or salt stress, with TaARI2 , TaARI3 , TaARI4 , TaARI5 and TaARI6 as candidate stress regulators for drought and salt stresses. A total of 72 upstream transcription factors of TaARI s belonging to 24 transcription factor families were determined, with MYB-related, bZIP, and ERF transcription factors being the most abundant. Protein interaction prediction indicated that TaARIs interact with E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase RBX1 and ubiquitin-40 S ribosomal protein S27a, suggesting that TaARIs might participate in the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway. Haplotype analysis suggested that TaARI6-D-Hap I could be a superior drought-resistant haplotype with higher gene expression and seedling survival under drought stress. Conclusions In conclusion, our results provided crucial insights into the functions and molecular mechanisms of TaARI genes under drought and salt stress, and provided a gene resource for molecular breeding to stress‑resistant wheat varieties.