POLYMORPHISM OF SOME TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR GENES RELATED TO DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN WHEAT

The aim of the research was to study polymorphism of preselected gene loci of three transcription factors (TaNAC2a, TaWRKY2, and TaWRKY19) and the Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) proteins dehydrin (Td29b) related to wheat drought tolerance. The genes structure and chromosome location were established via bioinformatics tools. It is stated that TaWRKY2 and TaWRKY19 genes were comprised of 4 exons and 3 introns located on 2BS and 1DS chromosome arms, respectively; TaNAC2a — 2 exons and 1 intron 7AS; Td29b — single exon gene 3AS. Using polymerase chain reaction, no polymorphism was observed. Polymorphic bands were detected for TaWRKY2 locus. The screening of the distribution of the revealed polymorphic loci was carried out for a set of wheat and rye varieties, old landraces and interspecific hybrids. The polymorphism of TaWRKY2 locus indicated the presence of some other possible alleles of the gene. The obtained data are important for further investigations of wheat drought tolerance.