Abstract
BACKGROUND: GATA transcription factors play crucial roles in plant growth and development, especially in response to environmental stress. Although GATA genes have been studied and identified in various plants, research on these genes in barley is relatively limited. RESULTS: This study identified the GATA gene family and analyzed its gene structure, chromosome distribution, evolutionary analysis, and expression patterns of the HvGATAgene family in barley. The results showed that 27 HvGATA genes are unevenly distributed across seven chromosomes and divided into four subfamilies with similar structures within the same subfamily. Gene synthesis analysis revealed that HvGATA gene family has undergone significant purifying selection. It is noteworthy that the promoter regions of HvGATA genes displayed many cis-acting elements associated with stress responses and hormone regulation. Additionally, the 27 identified genes are predominantly involved in responses to inorganic substances, as indicated by the Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis. The majority of miRNAs that regulate these genes are also capable of modulating abiotic stress responses. Furthermore, expression analysis confirms that the majority of HvGATA genes participate in the regulation of abiotic stresses. CONCLUSION: In summary, this study contribute to our understanding of important role of HvGATAs in barley, providing a foundation for further exploration of gene function and target genes related to stress responses.