Genome-Wide Identification Analysis of GST Gene Family in Wild Blueberry Vaccinium duclouxii and Their Impact on Anthocyanin Accumulation.

Abstract

Vaccinium duclouxii, a wild blueberry species native to the mountainous regions of southwestern China, is notable for its exceptionally high anthocyanin content, surpassing that of many cultivated varieties and offering significant research potential. Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are versatile enzymes crucial for anthocyanin transport in plants. Yet, the GST gene family had not been previously identified in V. duclouxii. This study utilized a genome-wide approach to identify and characterize the GST gene family in V. duclouxii, revealing 88 GST genes grouped into seven distinct subfamilies. This number is significantly higher than that found in closely related species, with these genes distributed across 12 chromosomes and exhibiting gene clustering. A total of 46 members are classified as tandem duplicates. The gene structure of VdGST is relatively conserved among related species, showing closer phylogenetic relations to V. bracteatum and evidence of purifying selection. Transcriptomic analysis and qRT-PCR indicated that VdGSTU22 and VdGSTU38 were highly expressed in flowers, VdGSTU29 in leaves, and VdGSTF11 showed significant expression in ripe and fully mature fruits, paralleling trends seen with anthocyanin accumulation. Subcellular localization identified VdGSTF11 primarily in the plasma membrane, suggesting a potential role in anthocyanin accumulation in V. duclouxii fruits. This study provides a foundational basis for further molecular-level functional analysis of the transport and accumulation of anthocyanins in V. duclouxii, enhancing our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying anthocyanin metabolism in this valuable species.