Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » West Lafayette, Indiana » Crop Production and Pest Control Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #271040
Title: A classification of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors of soybean

Author
item Hudson, Karen
item HUDSON, MATTHEW - University Of Illinois

Submitted to: International Journal of Genomics
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/29/2014
Publication Date: 4/1/2015
Citation: Hudson, K.A., Hudson, M.E. 2015. A classification of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors of soybean. International Journal of Genomics. Article ID 603182:1-10. doi:10.1155/2015/603182.

Interpretive Summary: Transcription factors may regulate the expression of many other genes. Therefore, it is important to understand the pattern of expression as well as the predicted function of this important class of regulatory genes. To use the information about gene function acquired from other systems, it is important that we identify and classify the predicted transcription factors from the soybean genome. This paper provides a classification of one class of transcription factors that are known to be involved in a diverse range of processes from growth to anthocyanin biosynthesis. This information will be useful to scientists seeking to apply discoveries made in other plant systems to soybean.

Technical Abstract: The complete genome sequence of soybean allows unprecedented opportunity for gene discovery. In particular, it is important to determine the potential function or functions of the regulatory genes discovered by interpreting the whole genome sequence. Regulatory genes such as transcription factors can influence a wide range of biochemical and developmental phenomena relevant to crop quality and yield. The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family of transcription factors are known to be involved in a wide range of systems including pigment biosynthesis, control of photosynthesis, transmission of light signals and seed pod development. Using a hidden Markov model search algorithm, 328 genes for basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor domains were identified in the predicted proteins of soybean. These were classified with respect to the predicted orthologous genes in the Arabidopsis thaliana genome, using phylogeny of the bHLH domain and evidence for and pattern of expression. The 328 soybean genes contrast with 145 known bHLH genes in Arabidopsis. The increased number of bHLH factors encoded in the soybean genome, many of which are recently duplicated, may allow for greater flexibility for genetic selection of growth and environmental adaptation in this widely grown crop.