Genome-Wide Analysis and Characterization of the PIF Gene Family Under Salt and Drought Stress in Common Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe members of the phytochrome-interacting factors (PIFs) gene family including the basic helix loop helix (bHLH) binding site in Phaseolus vulgaris plants, as well as to investigate their responses to salt and drought stress. Various tools of in silico approaches were used to identify five Pvul-PIF gene families in the P. vulgaris genome. This gene family contained 324 to 726 amino acids and has molecular weights ranging from 35.11 kDa to 77.67 kDa. The theoretical isoelectric points range from 6.03 (Pvul-PIF-3.3) to 8.30 (Pvul-PIF-3.2). Pvul-PIF proteins were shown to be clustered in three main groups with Arabidopsis thaliana, Populus trichocarpa, Solanum lycopersicum, Zea mays, Arachis hypogaea L., Oryza sativa, Vitis vinifera, Glycine max, and Phaseolus vulgaris species as a result of the phylogenetic study. Segmental duplication was detected between Pvul-PIF-3.2, Pvul-PIF-3.3 and Pvul-PIF-3.1 genes, Pvul-PIF-4.1 and Pvul-PIF-4.2 genes and Pvul-PIF-3.3 and Pvul-PIF-3.1 genes. When the expression patterns of the Pvul-PIF genes were examined, it was observed that they had different levels of expression under salt and drought stress and that they may be involved in specific biological and molecular processes in response to different abiotic and biotic stresses. The results of this research, which were established for the first time in response to salt and drought stress in P. vulgaris of the PIF gene family, will be a valuable source of knowledge and additional information in the fields of plant biotechnology, agricultural biotechnology, and molecular biology.