Abstract：GATA transcription factor family, which regulates a variety of biological processes, was widely studied in some plant pathogenic fungi. However, up to date, little is reported about the family in Setosphaeria turcica. In the present research, bioinformatics methods were used to search transcription factor family in the whole genome database of S. turcica. Five members of GATA transcription factor family designated as StGATA1~StGATA5, which scattered in the 5 different scaffolds in the genome, were identified. The analysis based on the physical and chemical properties of the GATA transcription factor family members showed that StGATA3 was acidic, while the other four GATA transcription factors were alkaline. All of the five proteins were unstable proteins. The amino acid number in predicted proteins were between 278 and 1 080. Conservative domain analysis indicated that the transcription factors contained ZnF-GATA domains. Both StGATA3 and StGATA4 contained PAS domain, while StGATA4 contained two PAC domains. Phylogenetic analysis showed that StGATA2 was in a group with Passalora fulva, Penicillium urticae and Aspergillus nidulans, while the other four GATA transcription factors (StGATA1, StGATA3, StGATA4, StGATA5) in S. turcica were assembled into a cluster. Real-time PCR technique was employed to analyze the expression patterns of GATA transcription factor family at different developmental stages in S. turcica. The results showed that StGATA1 and StGATA3 expressed with significant higher level at mycelial growth stage than that of other stages. StGATA2 showed significantly higher level in invading wire stage than that of the other period, and its expression level at mycelial and conidium stage were relative high. StGATA4 and StGATA5 expressed with relative high level at mycelial and conidium stage(P＜0.05).The result will not only lay a foundation for further revealing the functions of GATA transcription factor family in S. turcica, but also provide a identifiable ground for fungus disease prevention and control.
