HvNF-YB7: A Key Regulator of the HvGSTF13.1-Mediated Glutathione Antioxidant System in Drought-Tolerant Barley

Drought stress severely constrains barley yield and quality improvement. The Nuclear Factor Y (NF-Y) transcription factor family plays a crucial role in plant stress responses; however, its biological function and molecular regulatory mechanism in barley under drought stress remain unclear. This study integrated evolutionary analysis and transcriptomics to reveal the characteristics of the barley NF-Y gene family. Molecular biology experiments were employed to elucidate the drought response function and regulatory mechanism of the core gene HvNF-YB7. Phylogenetic analysis indicated evolutionary conservation and lineage-specific expansion patterns within the NF-Y gene family. The results found that HvNF-YB7 was induced 9.63-fold by drought in the tolerant wild barley genotype EC_S1. An 8-bp deletion variant in HvNF-YB7's promoter region created a CAAT-box cis-acting element, significantly enhancing its transcriptional activity under drought stress. Functional validation using transgenic overexpression significantly improved drought tolerance (e.g., fresh weight, water content), whereas silencing by virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) exacerbated damage. This confirmed HvNF-YB7 as a key positive regulator. The yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) and RUBY-luciferase assay revealed that HvNF-YB7 forms a transcriptional complex by interacting with NF-YA3 and then recognizes and activates the CCAAT element in the promoter of HvGSTF13.1, a key gene in the glutathione metabolic pathway. This activation enhances glutathione (GSH)-mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging capacity, effectively mitigating drought-induced oxidative damage. Our findings elucidate the "HvNF-YB7-HvGSTF13.1-GSH" pathway, which enhances barley drought tolerance, and provide a significant theoretical foundation and genetic resources for understanding its molecular basis.