NAC genes: time-specific regulators of hormonal signaling in Arabidopsis.

Environmental stresses on both animals and plants impose massive transcriptional perturbations. Successful adaptations to such stresses are being orchestrated by both activating and repressing effects of transcription factors on specific target genes. We have recently published a systematic characterization of members of the large NAC gene transcription factor family in the model weed Arabidopsis thaliana. Our analysis revealed interesting sub-groupings of the Arabidopsis NAC genes, relating structure and function. Here we present a meta-analysis revealing distinct temporal expression profiles of NAC genes upon stimuli with seven phytohormones. Our analysis could be a first indication of NAC-centered transcriptional networks, which coordinate timely hormonal signaling in plants.