Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of the NF-YB Gene Family in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Under Short-Term Salt Stress

The transcription factor NF-YB (nuclear factor-YB) family is a subfamily of the nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) family, which regulates plant development and abiotic stress responses. Though extensively studied in many plants, systematic indepth analyses of NF-YB genes in wheat remain scarce. To clarify the characteristics of the wheat NF-YB gene family, this study used the latest China Spring wheat genomic data and bioinformatics methods to analyze this gene family and its encoded proteins. The results showed that 34 TaNF-YBs are unevenly distributed across wheat chromosomes, and all encoded proteins are predicted to localize in the nucleus. Analysis of conserved domains, phylogenetic relationships, and gene structure confirmed the high conservation of TaNF-YBs. Computational gene collinearity analysis indicated that segmental duplication is the main mechanism underlying the expansion of the TaNF-YB gene family. This study also indicated that the predicted cis-regulatory elements in the promoter regions of TaNF-YBs putatively exhibit responsiveness to light, methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and abscisic acid (ABA) responsiveness. Tissue expression profiles revealed that TaNF-YBs exhibit high expression in seeds, which may be associated with grain development and nutrient accumulation. The temporal expression profiles of these family genes under salt stress differed significantly. GO enrichment and in silico protein–protein interaction analyses further suggest that TaNF-YB proteins may potentially activate the transcriptional expression downstream salt-tolerance target genes through heterotrimeric complex binding to their promoter regions, thereby enhancing wheat salt-stress responses. This study demonstrates that the TaNF-YB gene family in wheat may have a dual role in both grain development and the response to salt stress, providing theoretical and genetic resources for breeding stress-resistant high-quality wheat.