Genome-wide identification, characterization, and expression analysis of the Ovate family protein in Oryza sativa under biotic and abiotic stresses

Abstract

The Ovate Family Proteins (OFPs) are plant-specific transcription factors with a conserved OVATE domain. The OFPs regulate organ shape in Arabidopsis and many crops, including rice, tomato, and melon. However, little is known regarding the OFPs' potential role in regulating plant immune response to biotic/abiotic stresses. Herein, we reported the identification, bioinformatic, and Insilco analysis of OFPs in rice (Oryza sativa L). Thirty-one OsOFP genes were identified from the rice genome database and further divided into six subgroups based on their sequence similarities. Gene expression analysis in developmental stages indicated that some members of the OsOFP gene family displayed tissue-specific patterns. Enrichment of hormonal-related cis-acting elements and varied expression under phytohormones further validated their participation in hormone-mediated plant growth. The microarray expression analysis showed their possible involvement against salinity, drought, brown planthopper (BPH)_striped rice stemborer (SSB) (OsOFP25), and rice leaf folder (RLF) (OsOFP26) infestations. The higher expression of OsOFP25 in the OsWRKY65-OE line implies their key role in reproductive biology. These results provide a systematic analysis of the OsOFPs and lay a foundation for the functional characterization of this gene family.