The College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China.
Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Mar 29;23(7):3731. doi: 10.3390/ijms23073731.
Despite recent advancements in plant molecular biology and biotechnology, providing enough, and safe, food for an increasing world population remains a challenge. The research into plant development and environmental adaptability has attracted more and more attention from various countries. The transcription of some genes, regulated by transcript factors (TFs), and their response to biological and abiotic stresses, are activated or inhibited during plant development; examples include, rooting, flowering, fruit ripening, drought, flooding, high temperature, pathogen infection, etc. Therefore, the screening and characterization of transcription factors have increasingly become a hot topic in the field of plant research. BLH/BELL (BEL1-like homeodomain) transcription factors belong to a subfamily of the TALE (three-amino-acid-loop-extension) superfamily and its members are involved in the regulation of many vital biological processes, during plant development and environmental response. This review focuses on the advances in our understanding of the function of BLH/BELL TFs in different plants and their involvement in the development of meristems, flower, fruit, plant morphogenesis, plant cell wall structure, the response to the environment, including light and plant resistance to stress, biosynthesis and signaling of ABA (Abscisic acid), IAA (Indoleacetic acid), GA (Gibberellic Acid) and JA (Jasmonic Acid). We discuss the theoretical basis and potential regulatory models for BLH/BELL TFs' action and provide a comprehensive view of their multiple roles in modulating different aspects of plant development and response to environmental stress and phytohormones. We also present the value of BLHs in the molecular breeding of improved crop varieties and the future research direction of the BLH gene family.
尽管植物分子生物学和生物技术最近取得了进展，但为不断增长的世界人口提供足够和安全的食物仍然是一个挑战。植物发育和环境适应性的研究引起了越来越多的关注。一些基因的转录受到转录因子（TFs）的调控，它们对生物和非生物胁迫的反应在植物发育过程中被激活或抑制；例如，生根、开花、果实成熟、干旱、洪水、高温、病原体感染等。因此，转录因子的筛选和表征越来越成为植物研究领域的热点。BLH/BELL（BEL1 样同源域）转录因子属于 TALE（三氨基酸环延伸）超家族的一个亚家族，其成员参与植物发育和环境响应过程中许多重要的生物学过程的调控。本文综述了 BLH/BELL TFs 在不同植物中的功能及其在分生组织、花、果实、植物形态发生、植物细胞壁结构发育、对环境的响应（包括光和植物对胁迫的抗性）、ABA（脱落酸）、IAA（吲哚乙酸）、GA（赤霉素）和 JA（茉莉酸）生物合成和信号转导中的作用的研究进展。我们讨论了 BLH/BELL TFs 作用的理论基础和潜在调控模型，并提供了它们在调节植物发育和对环境胁迫和植物激素反应的不同方面的多种作用的综合观点。我们还介绍了 BLH 在改良作物品种分子育种中的价值和 BLH 基因家族的未来研究方向。
