Genome-Wide Identification of GATA Transcription Factors in Acorus and Expression Patterns Under Abiotic Stress

The GATA transcription factors are a class of DNA-binding proteins that control the expression of target genes by binding to the promoter regions of DNA, thereby affecting the growth and development of plants. In recent years, GATA genes have been discovered and functionally characterized in many plant species. However, there is limited annotation information for GATA genes in the genus Acorus. This study identified 38 and 20 GATA genes in Acorus calamus and A. gramineus, respectively. Based on a phylogenetic tree, they were classified into four subfamilies (I, II, III, and IV). At the same time, an analysis of the GATA domain and motifs revealed that the domains are relatively conserved across all subfamilies. A multiple sequence alignment showed that almost all GATA proteins are highly conserved at the LCNACG site. An analysis of cis-elements, collinearity, and protein–protein interaction networks provided insights into the response mechanisms under biotic stress. Additionally, we found significant changes in the expression of GATA in A. gramineus under drought and salt stress. These results provide useful information for future functional analyses of GATA genes and contribute to a better understanding of the stress response mechanisms and molecular breeding directions in the Acorus species.