Animal Husbandry and Feed Science ›› 2020, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (1): 23-27.doi: 10.12160/j.issn.1672-5190.2020.01.005

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Research Progress of bHLH Transcription Factors

WANG Li-wei, FANG Yong-yu, LIU Hong-kui, GUO Bao-min, WANG Yun-hua, SUN Rui-fen, JI Peng-hua, HE Jiang-feng   

  1. Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Hohhot 010031, China
  • Received:2020-01-08 Online:2020-01-30 Published:2020-03-05

Abstract: Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proteins which belong to the superfamily of transcription factors are widely distributed in eukaryotes. At present, most of the functions of bHLH transcription factors have been identified in animals, however, it's study in plants is relatively limited. As the second major transcription factors in plants, based on their interactions between specific amino acids and the target genes, bHLH transcription factors play important roles in plant growth and development, physiological metabolism and stress response, and then regulate the expression of associated genes. In order to further understand the information on function and characteristics of bHLH transcription factors in plants, we reviewed their structural features, classification and biological functions, with focus on the most recently reported investigations on their response to abiotic stress. Our review may provide a theoretical basis for further understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the actions of plant bHLH transcription factors in response to stress.

Key words: bHLH, drought resistance, salinity resistance, cold resistance

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