biostudies-literatureBi HScientific Research Project of Jingchu University of TechnologyNatural Science Foundation of Hubei Province of ChinaNational Natural Science Foundation of ChinaScientific Research Program Guiding Project of Hubei Provincial Department of Education2784https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8911409biostudies-literatureUnknown23(5)Environmental stresses, especially heat and drought, severely limit plant growth and negatively affect wheat yield and quality worldwide. Heat shock factors (Hsfs) play a central role in regulating plant responses to various stresses. In this study, the wheat heat shock factor gene <i>TaHsfA2e-5D</i> on chromosome 5D was isolated and functionally characterized, with the goal of investigating its role in responses to heat and drought stresses. Gene expression profiling showed that <i>TaHsfA2e-5D</i> was expressed constitutively in various wheat tissues, most highly in roots at the reproductive stage. The expression of <i>TaHsfA2e-5D</i> was highly up-regulated in wheat seedlings by heat, cold, drought, high salinity, and multiple phytohormones. The TaHsfA2e-5D protein was localized in the nucleus and showed a transcriptional activation activity. Ectopic expression of the <i>TaHsfA2e-5D</i> in yeast exhibited improved thermotolerance. Overexpression of the <i>TaHsfA2e-5D</i> in <i>Arabidopsis</i> results in enhanced tolerance to heat and drought stresses. Furthermore, RT-qPCR analyses revealed that <i>TaHsfA2e-5D</i> functions through increasing the expression of Hsp genes and other stress-related genes, including <i>APX2</i> and <i>GolS1</i>. Collectively, these results suggest that <i>TaHsfA2e-5D</i> functions as a positive regulator of plants' responses to heat and drought stresses, which may be of great significance for understanding and improving environmental stress tolerance in crops.International journal of molecular sciencesCharacterization of the Wheat Heat Shock Factor TaHsfA2e-5D Conferring Heat and Drought Tolerance in <i>Arabidopsis</i>.PMC89114092019CFB296B201823332072062 and 32001546QDJ201901Bi HLi HChen QQian JHe JTian XMa DMiao JZhao YXu YLiu WfalseCharacterization of the Wheat Heat Shock Factor TaHsfA2e-5D Conferring Heat and Drought Tolerance in <i>Arabidopsis</i>.Environmental stresses, especially heat and drought, severely limit plant growth and negatively affect wheat yield and quality worldwide. Heat shock factors (Hsfs) play a central role in regulating plant responses to various stresses. In this study, the wheat heat shock factor gene <i>TaHsfA2e-5D</i> on chromosome 5D was isolated and functionally characterized, with the goal of investigating its role in responses to heat and drought stresses. Gene expression profiling showed that <i>TaHsfA2e-5D</i> was expressed constitutively in various wheat tissues, most highly in roots at the reproductive stage. The expression of <i>TaHsfA2e-5D</i> was highly up-regulated in wheat seedlings by heat, cold, drought, high salinity, and multiple phytohormones. The TaHsfA2e-5D protein was localized in the nucleus and showed a transcriptional activation activity. Ectopic expression of the <i>TaHsfA2e-5D</i> in yeast exhibited improved thermotolerance. Overexpression of the <i>TaHsfA2e-5D</i> in <i>Arabidopsis</i> results in enhanced tolerance to heat and drought stresses. Furthermore, RT-qPCR analyses revealed that <i>TaHsfA2e-5D</i> functions through increasing the expression of Hsp genes and other stress-related genes, including <i>APX2</i> and <i>GolS1</i>. Collectively, these results suggest that <i>TaHsfA2e-5D</i> functions as a positive regulator of plants' responses to heat and drought stresses, which may be of great significance for understanding and improving environmental stress tolerance in crops.2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Mar2026-04-08T17:36:04.158Z2025-04-04T22:09:00.807ZS-EPMC89114093526992510.3390/ijms23052784