What does this research mean for the field?

The quinoa genome contains 150 AP2/ERF genes, which expanded primarily through segmental duplication, and includes specific members of the ERF, DREB, and RAV subfamilies that exhibit salt-responsive expression patterns indicating their role in salinity tolerance. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

November 27, 2024Scientific Reports14 citationsOpen Access

Identification and characterization of the Quinoa AP2/ERF gene family and their expression patterns in response to salt stress

BBBahlanes BakhtariShiraz University HRHooman RaziShiraz University AAAbbas AlemzadehShiraz University

Key Points

Key points are not available for this paper at this time.

Abstract

The APETALA2/ETHYLENE RESPONSIVE FACTOR (AP2/ERF) transcription factors play crucial roles in plant growth, development, and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. This study was performed to comprehensively identify and characterize the AP2/ERF gene family in quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), a highly resilient pseudocereal crop known for its salinity tolerance. A total of 150 CqAP2/ERF genes were identified in the quinoa genome; these genes were unevenly distributed across the chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis divided the CqAP2/ERFs into five subfamilies: 71 ERF, 49 DREB, 23 AP2, 3 RAV, and 4 Soloist. Additionally, the DREB and ERF subfamilies were subdivided into four and seven subgroups, respectively. The exon-intron structure of the putative CqAP2/ERF genes and the conserved motifs of their encoded proteins were also identified, showing general conservation within the phylogenetic subgroups. Promoter analysis revealed many cis-regulatory elements associated with light, hormones, and response mechanisms within the promoter regions of CqAP2/ERF genes. Synteny analysis revealed that segmental duplication under purifying selection pressure was the major evolutionary driver behind the expansion of the CqAP2/ERF gene family. The protein-protein interaction network predicted the pivotal CqAP2/ERF proteins and their interactions involved in the regulation of various biological processes including stress response mechanisms. The expression profiles obtained from RNA-seq and qRT-PCR data detected several salt-responsive CqAP2/ERF genes, particularly from the ERF, DREB, and RAV subfamilies, with varying up- and downregulation patterns, indicating their potential roles in salt stress responses in quinoa. Overall, this study provides insights into the structural and evolutionary features of the AP2/ERF gene family in quinoa, offering candidate genes for further analysis of their roles in salt tolerance and molecular breeding.

Ask AI

Helpful

Bookmark

View Full Paper