Identification and expression analysis of GRAS transcription factors in the wild relative of sweet potato Ipomoea trifida

Yao Chen,Jian Sun,Zongyun Li,Qinghe Cao,Tao Xu,Panpan Zhu,Shaoyuan Wu,Yan Lu

doi:10.1186/s12864-019-6316-7

Abstract

BackgroundGRAS gene is an important transcription factor gene family that plays a crucial role in plant growth, development, adaptation to adverse environmental condition. Sweet potato is an important food, vegetable, industrial raw material, and biofuel crop in the world, which plays an essential role in food security in China. However, the function of sweet potato GRAS genes remains unknown.ResultsIn this study, we identified and characterised 70 GRAS members from Ipomoea trifida, which is the progenitor of sweet potato. The chromosome distribution, phylogenetic tree, exon-intron structure and expression profiles were analysed. The distribution map showed that GRAS genes were randomly located in 15 chromosomes. In combination with phylogenetic analysis and previous reports in Arabidopsis and rice, the GRAS proteins from I. trifida were divided into 11 subfamilies. Gene structure showed that most of the GRAS genes in I. trifida lacked introns. The tissue-specific expression patterns and the patterns under abiotic stresses of ItfGRAS genes were investigated via RNA-seq and further tested by RT-qPCR. Results indicated the potential functions of ItfGRAS during plant development and stress responses.ConclusionsOur findings will further facilitate the functional study of GRAS gene and molecular breeding of sweet potato.

Highlights

GRAS gene is an important transcription factor gene family that plays a crucial role in plant growth, development, adaptation to adverse environmental condition
GRAS proteins are a family of plant-specific transcription factors whose names are derived from the first three members: GIBBERELLIN ACID INSENSITIVE (GAI), REPRESSOR of GA1 (RGA) and SCARECROW (SCR) [1]
Identification and characterization analysis of GRAS genes in I. trifida To identify the number of GRAS members in I. trifida, we used both Pfam and Simple Modular Architecture Research Tool (SMART) databases with the default parameters

Summary

Introduction

GRAS gene is an important transcription factor gene family that plays a crucial role in plant growth, development, adaptation to adverse environmental condition. The function of sweet potato GRAS genes remains unknown. GRAS proteins are a family of plant-specific transcription factors whose names are derived from the first three members: GIBBERELLIN ACID INSENSITIVE (GAI), REPRESSOR of GA1 (RGA) and SCARECROW (SCR) [1]. GRAS proteins consist of 400–770 amino acids residues with a variable N-terminal and a highly conserved C-terminal region [2, 3]. GRAS proteins play diverse functions in regulating plant growth and development, which are involved in signal transduction, root radial patterning [11], male gametogenesis [12] and meristem maintenance [2]. GRAS genes are connected with plant disease resistance and abiotic stress response [13]. The overexpression of poplar PeSCL7 in Arabidopsis increases its resistance to

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Conclusion