Quantitative RT-PCR analysis of 20 transcription factor genes of MADS, ARF, HAP2, MBF and HB families in moisture stressed shoot and root tissues of sorghum

Transcription factors (TFs) are an important target in understanding the regulation of plant responses to environmental stress including moisture stress. Members of the same TF family may differ in their response to moisture stress. The expression pattern could vary between shoot and root tissues depending on level of moisture stress. A set of five rarely studied TF families viz., MADS-box (MCM1, AGAMOUS, DEFICIENS and SRF), Auxin Responsive Factor (ARF), Heme Activator Protein 2 (HAP2), Multiprotein Bridging Factor (MBF) and Homeobox (HB) together having 20 members in sorghum, were expression analyzed through quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) in well watered and moisture stressed shoot and root tissues of sorghum using SYBR Green® to quantify dsDNA synthesis. Fluorescence values were used to calculate PCR efficiency by using LinRegPCR. The PTSb00029.1 and PTSb00033.1 of ARF family and PTSb00174.1 and PTSb00175.1 of HB family recorded 2 to 5, PTSb00221.1 and PTSb00208.1 of MADS family and PTSb00128.1 of HAP2 family recorded 5 to 10 fold up-regulation under moisture stress regimes. The PTSb00128.1, a HAP2 family member, recorded 15 fold up-regulation in mild moisture stressed root tissues. TF genes such as PTSb00218.1, PTSb00220.1, PTSb00031.1, PTSb00032.1, PTSb00034.1 and PTSb00223.1 were found down regulating in both tissues types under moisture stress condition. However, the PTSb00128.1, PTSb00221.1, PTSb00029.1, PTSb00033.1 and PTSb00174.1 TFs were found up-regulating to varied levels in mild and severe moisture stressed root tissues only. Verification of qRT-PCR results was done by in situ hybridization (ISH) of randomly selected two TF genes in shoot and root tissues of sorghum. Taken together, moisture stress triggered up-regulation of more genes in root tissue compared to shoot tissue in sorghum.