In-silico analysis of a vacuolar Na+/H+ antiporter gene from Triticum aestivum cv. Kharchia Local

Abstract

Kharchia Local wheat variety known for its tolerance to salinity, an Indian salt tolerant land race. Previously we have reported transcriptome sequencing of wheat under salt stress with large number differential expressed genes. qRT-PCR analysis showed up-regulation in response to salinity of many known and unknown genes. In this report, we cloned and analyzed bioinformatically a gene encoding protein vacuolar Na+/H+ antiporter (NHX1). The NHX gene is 1,641bp long, encoding 546 amino acids protein with estimated molecular mass of 59.7kDa and pI 8.13. The NHX1 shows high amino acid similarity with other NHX gene of Poaceae family and belongs to Class I type NHXs. The hydropathy plot shows NHX has 11 strong transmembrane helices. The study throws light into the structural features of NHX1, a potential candidate for developing salinity tolerant crop plants.