s, functional generalists in interactions between cassava growth and development, and abiotic stresses.

The proteins with DNA-binding preference to the consensus DNA sequence (A/T) GATA (A/G) belong to a GATA transcription factor family, with a wide array of biological processes in plants. Cassava () is an important food crop with high production of starch in storage roots. Little was however known about cassava GATA domain-containing genes (s). Thirty-six s, to , were found in this study. Some s showed a collinear relationship with orthologous genes of , poplar and potato, rice, maize and sorghum. Eight -encoded proteins (MeGATAs) analysed were all localized in the nucleus. Some MeGATAs had potentials of binding ligands and/or enzyme activity. One pair of tandem-duplicated and 30 pairs of whole genome-duplicated s were found. Fourteen s showed low or no expression in the tissues. Nine analysed s showed expression responses to abiotic stresses and exogenous phytohormones. Three groups of MeGATA protein interactions were found. Fifty-three miRNAs which can target 18 s were identified. Eight MeGATAs were found to target other 292 cassava genes, which were directed to radial pattern formation and phyllome development by gene ontology enrichment, and autophagy by Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment. These data suggest that s are functional generalists in interactions between cassava growth and development, abiotic stresses and starch metabolism.