Genome-Wide Identification of Binding Motifs and Drought-Responsive Target Genes by the Transcription Factor ZmNAC20 in Maize.

ABSTRACT: Drought stress severely limits maize growth, and enhancing drought resistance remains a central objective of crop improvement. Plant-specific NAC (NAM/ATAF/CUC) transcription factors are critical regulators of abiotic stress responses. Previously, we identified ZmNAC20-a gene rapidly induced by both drought and abscisic acid (ABA)-as a positive regulator of stomatal closure and drought survival when over-expressed; however, its direct target genes and downstream regulatory network remained elusive. Here, we used DAP-seq to identify 3537 ZmNAC20 binding peaks genome-wide, revealing four enriched cis-motifs and 1439 target genes. GO and KEGG analyses showed pronounced enrichment in intracellular signal transduction. The intersection of RNA-seq of drought-stressed ZmNAC20-over-expressing and

SUBMITTER: Xu T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12899871 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature