Identification of the Brassinazole-Resistant (BZR) Gene Family in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and the Molecular Cloning and Functional Characterization of TaBZR2.1

Brassinazole-resistant (BZR) transcription factors are important transcription factors in Brassinosteroid (BR)-responsive gene expression. However, limited knowledge exists regarding the <i>BZR</i> genes in wheat and a limited number of <i>BZR</i> family genes have been previously reported in wheat. In this study, the synteny analyses of the <i>TaBZR</i> genes suggested that gene duplication events have played an essential role in the <i>TaBZR</i> family during evolution. The results of RT-qPCR and transcriptome data analyses exhibited remarkable expression patterns in the <i>BZR</i> genes in different tissues and under different treatments. The yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) screen result showed that the TaBZR2.1 protein interacts with Argonaute 4 (AGO4). Taken together, our results not only provide us a basis for understanding the molecular characteristics and expression patterns of the <i>TaBZR</i> family genes but also offered the functional characterization of <i>TaBZR2.1</i> in wheat.