The TAZ domain-containing proteins play important role in the heavy metals stress biology in plants.

TAZ (transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding) zinc finger domains, also known as transcription adaptor putative zinc finger domains, are zinc-possessing domains that originate in the transcriptional co-activators homologous like CREB-binding protein (CBP), the P300, and also BTB protein that control diverse function in plant growth and development. Here, in the present study, we evaluated the role of the TAZ domain-containing gene in response to various heavy metals. Initially, we found a total of 3, 7, 8, 9, 9, 9, 7, 14, 6, 10, and 6 proteins containing TAZ domain in stiff brome, millet, sorghum, potato, pepper, maize, rice, apple, peach, pear, and tomato genome that could trigger the plant resistance against various heavy metals, respectively. Various in-silico approaches were applied such as duplication, phylogenetic analysis, and gene structure, to understand the basic features of the TAZ domain-containing genes in plants. To further identify the function of TAZ proteins, gene expression analyses were also performed under heavy metals (Cr, Zn, Ni, Cd, Co, Fe, Mn, and Pb). The results of quantitative real-time PCR analysis indicated that the TAZ gene family members were variously expressed under different heavy metals. We further evaluated the function of the TAZ domain-containing gene in the heavy stress metal stress biology of the plant by overexpressing the OsTAZ4 gene in Arabidopsis. The results found that TAZ genes could trigger plant resistance against various heavy metals by interacting with OsMYB34 and OsFHA9 transcription factors in plants. Overall, for the first time, we provide an extensive overview of the TAZ gene family and it promises the primary basis for the study in development and response to various heavy metals. The results will contribute to elucidate the relationship of TAZ proteins with heavy metals stresses and also ascertain the biological function in plant growth and development.