Cloning and Bioinformatics Analysis of the Gene Encoding Transcription Factor MYB44 of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) under Salt Stress Conditions

Sunflower oilseed (Helianthus annuus L.) is widely planted around the world. Soil salinity negatively affects many morphological and physiological traits of sunflowers. MYB genes are a large gene family of transcription factors that encode nuclear proteins and involved in salinity resistance. Oil seed sunflower line tolerant to salinity stress (AS5305) was planted in normal and salinity stress conditions in a completely randomized design with two biological replications in a controlled environment. Salinity stress of 8 ds.m-1 was applied in 8-leaf stage from NaCl source. About 24 hours after salinity stress, leaves were sampled. The MYB44 gene, as one of the genes involved in salinity stress resistance, was cloned in expression vectors p35s-N and p35s-G, and bioinformatics analysis was performed about it. Analysis of cloned MYB44 sequence revealed more than 95% and 98% DNA and protein similarity respectively, between cloned gene with the MYB44 sequence in the NCBI, indicating high sequence conservation of this gene among different sunflower genotypes. Overall, the results of present study potentially pave the way for molecular breeding of sunflower for salinity resistance.