Recent Duplications Dominate VQ and WRKY Gene Expansions in Six Prunus Species.

Yan Zhong,Zong-Ming Cheng,Xiaohui Zhang,Ping Wang,Olasz Ferenc György

doi:10.1155/2021/4066394

Yan Zhong, Zong-Ming Cheng + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/4066394

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Abstract

Genes encoding VQ motif-containing (VQ) transcriptional regulators and WRKY transcription factors can participate separately or jointly in plant growth, development, and abiotic and biotic stress responses. In this study, 222 VQ and 645 WRKY genes were identified in six Prunus species. Based on phylogenetic tree topologies, the VQ and WRKY genes were classified into 13 and 32 clades, respectively. Therefore, at least 13 VQ gene copies and 32 WRKY gene copies were present in the genome of the common ancestor of the six Prunus species. Similar small Ks value peaks for the VQ and WRKY genes suggest that the two gene families underwent recent duplications in the six studied species. The majority of the Ka/Ks ratios were less than 1, implying that most of the VQ and WRKY genes had undergone purifying selection. Pi values were significantly higher in the VQ genes than in the WRKY genes, and the VQ genes therefore exhibited greater nucleotide diversity in the six species. Forty-one of the Prunus VQ genes were predicted to interact with 44 of the WRKY genes, and the expression levels of some predicted VQ-WRKY interacting pairs were significantly correlated. Differential expression patterns of the VQ and WRKY genes suggested that some might be involved in regulating aphid resistance in P. persica and fruit development in P. avium.

Highlights

During their growth and development, plants are constantly threatened by an array of adverse environmental conditions
The first identified VQ motif-containing (VQ) gene, sigma factor binding protein1 (SIB1), was found to be involved in resistance to Botrytis cinerea in A. thaliana [12, 13], and AtVQ14 was shown to participate in the HAIKU (IKU) pathway, regulating endosperm development and seed size [14]
A total of 222 VQ genes were identified in the six Prunus species: 55 in P. yedoensis, 70 in P. domestica, 25 in P. avium, 23 in P. dulcis, 26 in P. persica, and 23 in P. yedoensis var. nudiflora (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

During their growth and development, plants are constantly threatened by an array of adverse environmental conditions. These include abiotic stresses such as drought, heat, and salt, and biotic stresses in the form of various pathogens and insects [1,2,3,4]. Plants have numerous transcriptional regulators and transcription factors (TFs) that help them cope with such ecological stresses. These regulators and TFs have important functions in different aspects of physiological metabolism [5, 6]. The first identified VQ gene, sigma factor binding protein (SIB1), was found to be involved in resistance to Botrytis cinerea in A. thaliana [12, 13], and AtVQ14 was shown to participate in the HAIKU (IKU) pathway, regulating endosperm development and seed size [14]

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