Genome-wide analysis of NBS-LRR-encoding gene in <italic>Panax ginseng</italic>

Abstract

Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer is a highly valued medicinal plant whose roots have been widely used for thousands of years as a traditional herb to enhance physical performance. Ginseng root production requires several years of cultivation, resulting in a long period of exposure to soil-borne pathogens, which significantly reduce the quality and yield. Plants have evolved resistance genes ( R genes) encoding proteins that mediate resistance to microorganism, which allow for the recognition of specific pathogen effectors, activating the plant defense systems. In this study, 1652 R genes distributed across seven families were identified in P. ginseng using the principles of sequence similarity and domain conservation. Furthermore, the exon/intron organization, motif composition, and motif arrangement were considerably conserved among the members of the same subfamilies in the constructed phylogenetic tree of NBS-LRR genes in ginseng. Expression profiling analysis of PgNBS-LRRs suggested that these genes appeared to be differentially expressed in an organ-specific or temporal pattern. In addition, differentially expressed NBS-LRR genes were involved in ginseng defense systems. Genes involved in ginsenoside biosynthetic pathway during Cylindrocarpon destructans infection were also investigated. Overall, this study will provide a blueprint for the future efforts toward improving disease resistance of P. ginseng .