Potential utilization of NAC transcription factors to enhance abiotic stress tolerance in plants by biotechnological approach

Abiotic stresses such as extreme temperature, drought, high salinity, cold and waterlogging often result in significant losses to the yields of economically important crops. Plants constantly exposed to capricious conditions have adapted at the molecular, cellular, physiological and biochemical level, enabling them to survive and cope with adverse environmental stresses. NAC (NAM, ATAF and CUC) transcription factors (TFs), which constitute one of the largest families of plant-specific TFs, have been reported to enhance tolerance against various stresses, such as drought, high salinity and cold, in a number of plants. In this review the NAC TF family will be described and the potential use of NAC TFs in development of improved stress tolerant transgenic crops will be discussed.