Abstract
Laccase is a widely used industrial oxidase for food processing, dye synthesis, paper making, and pollution remediation. At present, laccases used by industries come mainly from fungi. Plants contain numerous genes encoding laccase enzymes that show properties which are distinct from that of the fungal laccases. These plant-specific laccases may have better potential for industrial purposes. The aim of this work was to conduct a genome-wide search for the soybean laccase genes and analyze their characteristics and specific functions. A total of 93 putative laccase genes (GmLac) were identified from the soybean genome. All 93 GmLac enzymes contain three typical Cu-oxidase domains, and they were classified into five groups based on phylogenetic analysis. Although adjacent members on the tree showed highly similar exon/intron organization and motif composition, there were differences among the members within a class for both conserved and differentiated functions. Based on the expression patterns, some members of laccase were expressed in specific tissues/organs, while some exhibited a constitutive expression pattern. Analysis of the transcriptome revealed that some laccase genes might be involved in providing resistance to oomycetes. Analysis of the selective pressures acting on the laccase gene family in the process of soybean domestication revealed that 10 genes could have been under artificial selection during the domestication process. Four of these genes may have contributed to the transition of the soft and thin stem of wild soybean species into strong, thick, and erect stems of the cultivated soybean species. Our study provides a foundation for future functional studies of the soybean laccase gene family.
Highlights
Laccases, p-diphenol:oxygen oxidoreductases (EC 1.10.3.2), represent the largest subgroup of multicopper-containing oxidases (MCOs), known as “blue” oxidases [1,2,3]
We obtained the physical locations of these laccase genes and mapped them onto 19 of the 20 soybean chromosomes (Figure 1)
Chromosome 18 had the greatest number of laccase genes, which was 12 (GmLac70–GmLac81)
Summary
P-diphenol:oxygen oxidoreductases (EC 1.10.3.2), represent the largest subgroup of multicopper-containing oxidases (MCOs), known as “blue” oxidases [1,2,3]. They are widespread in fungi and plants, and in bacteria and insects [4,5,6,7]. Laccase was initially discovered in Japanese lacquer tree by Yoshida in 1883 [8]. It was defined as a metal-containing oxidase [9].
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