The members of GATA gene family were identified, their physicochemical characteristics,chromosome distribution, phylogenetic evolution, gene structure and conserved motif were analyzed by bioinformatics,and their expression levels were analyzed under heat stress,so as to provide basis for function study of GATA genes.The results showed that a total of 37 GATA genes were identified,which were unevenly distributed on 10 chromosomes in maize genome, and harbored a conserved motif CX₂CX₁₈CX₂C.Phylogenetic tree analysis showed that the maize GATA gene family could be divided into four groups,A,B,C and D,containing 21,10,4 and 2 genes,respectively,and the genes in the same group had similar gene structure.Nine GATA genes including five group A genes( Zm00001d010785,Zm00001d023539, Zm00001d041883, Zm00001d025953 and Zm00001d031135), two group B genes(Zm00001d011771 and Zm00001d034751)and two group C genes(Zm00001d036494 and Zm00001d01 4656) were up-regulated,and two group B GATA genes(Zm00001d016361 and Zm00001d009193)were down-regulated under heat stress.This study suggested the above up-regulated nine GATA genes may play important roles in response to heat stress.