NAC转录因子基因家族是植物中特有的，在植物的生长发育以及多种逆境的耐受中发挥着重要作用。我们在前期研究中，系统地鉴定并克隆了双低油菜的一个双单倍体的60余个NAC转录因子基因，对其中部分NAC的转录活性、逆境响应模式、亚细胞定位以及功能进行了分析。本立项将对其中两个新发现的调控活性氧（ROS）的累积、叶片衰老的NAC82及其互作蛋白NACa进行功能与分子机制研究。此外，还发现NACa显著调控ABA敏感性与干旱的耐受性。这两个基因在拟南芥的直系同源基因在活性氧与抗逆中的功能未见报道。拟研究它们调控ROS累积、叶片衰老与干旱等逆境胁迫应答的分子机理，鉴定其下游信号转导通路的成员，检测它们表达水平的改变对干旱等非生物逆境的耐受性。这些研究内容将阐明油菜NAC82与NACa基因在逆境胁迫中的功能与调控机制，为有效利用NAC转录因子基因增强作物耐逆性具有十分重要的理论意义与应用价值。

NAC transcription factor gene family is plant-specific and plays important roles in plant growth, development, hormone response, as well as in enhancing stress tolerance towards drought, salinity and cold stresses and so on. In our previous research, we identified and cloned over 60 NAC genes from a double haploid cultivar of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) and studied the transcriptional activities, stress and hormone responses, subcellular localizations and functions of part of these genes. In this proposal, we plan to explore the molecular mechanisms of BnaNAC82 and its interacting partner, BnaNACa, which regulate accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leaf senescence and programmed cell death (PCD). We found that mutation of NACa renders seeds oversensitive to ABA during germination and post-germination growth. Moreover, the orthologous genes in Arabidopsis have not been studied in the context of ROS, senescence and stress tolerance, suggesting they are two novel members. Therefore, we are going to reveal the underling mechanisms of them in modulating ROS, ABA and stress tolerance, identify the cis-elements in their promoter regions, and assay the stress tolerance of transgenic plants. Through this work, we hope to dissect the roles of NAC82 and NACa in stress response and lay a solid foundation for utilizing NAC genes to improve crop resistance towards abiotic stresses, especially drought stress.