In silico Comparisons of the Ethylene Response Factor 1 (ERF1) Gene Between Malaysian Wild Banana (Musa acuminata ssp. malaccensis) and Pisang Klutuk Wulung (Musa balbisiana)

Abstract

Musa balbisiana (B genome) has been observed to have a higher tolerance of biotic and abiotic stresses than Musa acuminata (A genome). Ethylene Response Factor 1 (ERF1) is a gene activator for pathogenesis-related proteins (PR proteins) such as basic chitinases and beta-1,3-glucanase. There are numerous ERF1 gene studies about Oryza sativa, but information about the banana ERF1 gene, especially in the B genome (Musa balbisiana “Pisang Klutuk Wulung”), has still not been explored thoroughly. Using annotated genomic data in an A genome (Musa acuminata ssp. malaccensis) and genomic data in a B genome (Musa balbisiana “Pisang Klutuk Wulung”), research on the ERF1 gene can be conducted at the gene sequences and amino acid sequences levels. The Musa acuminata (A genome) ERF1 gene nucleotide sequence was retrieved from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database. The Musa balbisiana (B genome) ERF1 gene nucleotide sequence was identified with the nucleotide Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLASTn) using an A genome ERF1 gene sequence as a query. Both ERF1 gene nucleotide sequences and amino acid sequences in the A and B genomes were annotated and compared. Seven annotated genome ERF1 gene sequences from the A and B genomes were identified with the probability that these genes were actively transcribed in cell activity. ERF1 gene comparisons between the A and B genomes showed that nucleotide composition, gene structure, gene position in each respective chromosome, ERF clusterization, identified motif, and amino acid composition in each of the identified motifs have similar characteristics.