Identification of TIFY/JAZ family genes in Solanum lycopersicum and their regulation in response to abiotic stresses.

Plant phenotypic plasticity determines plant adaptation to changing environments and agricultural productivity. Phytohormones are essential plant signalling molecules regulating this plasticity through complex signalling networks. Jasmonates (JAs) are key phytohormones regulating many aspects of growth, development and defence responses. An important role of JAs in tolerance to abiotic stresses is also emerging. The expression of JAZ (JASMONATE-ZIM-DOMAIN PROTEIN) genes, encoding for the key repressors in the JA-pathway, is regulated by multiple abiotic stresses, suggesting a role for the JAZ proteins in response to these stresses. The JAZ proteins belong to the TIFY family, well described in many plant species. However, only the role of few tomato JAZ proteins in response to microbial infection has been analysed so far. Here, we identify the members of the tomato TIFY family, and characterize them phylogenetically. In addition, we analyse the transcriptional regulation of several SlJAZ in response to abiotic stresses and hormone treatments both in root and leaves to assess their specific expression in response to stresses. Most SlJAZ are JA-induced and responsive to one or more abiotic stresses, providing clues for functional analysis of JAZ genes in abiotic responses in tomato.