Background: RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) participate in multiple aspects of RNA metabolism, which in turn regulates gene expression, thereby involving in organism growth and development. The UBA2 family, one of the subfamilies of RBPs, has been identified in several plant species. However, few researches have been performed to investigate the role of UBA2 in wheat (Triticum aestivum). Results: In this study, we identified eleven TaUBA2s and divided them into three groups according to their domain characteristics. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted to forecast functional similarities among Arabidopsis, rice, maize and wheat UBA2 genes. Members within the same subfamily of TaUBA2 are relatively conserved in terms of protein structure, motifs, and gene structure. Chromosomal location and synteny analysis suggested that the segmental duplication events played important roles during TaUBA2s evolution. The cis-acting element analysis showed that TaUBA2s were involved in hormone response, development, light response, metabolism, and response to environmental stress. Furthermore, TaUBA2C contains two RNA recognition motifs (RRMs), and the first RRM is responsible for the nuclear speckle formation of TaUBA2C, whereas the two RRMs are necessary for its biological function. Conclusions: Taken together, our study provides a comprehensive analysis of the TaUBA2 family in wheat and lays the foundation for the future functional investigations of TaUBA2s in wheat growth, development and stress responses.

Histones are integral components of eukaryotic chromatin and play crucial roles in various aspects of genome function, regulating gene expression and participating in genome replication, repair, and maintenance. The H2A family, a subfamily within histones, has been identified in multiple plant species. However, the characteristics and functions of this family in wheat (Triticum aestivum) remain largely unknown. In this study, we identified 113 TaH2As and categorized them into four groups based on their domain features. Phylogenetic analysis was performed to infer functional similarities of H2A genes in Arabidopsis and wheat. TaH2A members within the same subfamily exhibit high conservation in motifs and exon-intron structures. Chromosomal location and synteny analysis revealed that segmental duplication is a major driving force for TaH2A gene family expansion. Cis-acting elements analysis indicated that TaH2A genes participate in environmental stress response, development and metabolism, hormone response and light response. Additionally, we demonstrated that TaH2A.10 can interact with Chinese wheat mosaic virus (CWMV) cysteine-rich protein (CRP) and silencing of TaH2A.10 expression enhanced CWMV infection, while overexpression of TaH2A.10 inhibited CWMV infection. In summary, our study provides a systematic characterization of the TaH2A histone family and lays the foundation for elucidating their functional roles in wheat development and stress responses.