Genome-wide identification of ascorbate-glutathione cycle gene families in soybean (Glycine max) reveals gene duplication events and specificity of gene members linked to development and stress conditions

• Published in: International journal of biological macromolecules 2021-09, Vol.187, p.528-543
• Main Authors: Costa, José Hélio, Roque, André Luiz Maia, Aziz, Shahid, dos Santos, Clesivan Pereira, Germano, Thais Andrade, Batista, Mathias Coelho, Thiers, Karine Leitão Lima, da Cruz Saraiva, Kátia Daniella, Arnholdt-Schmitt, Birgit
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ascorbate Peroxidases - genetics; Ascorbate Peroxidases - metabolism; Ascorbic Acid - metabolism; Cellular localization; Evolution, Molecular; Evolutionary events; Gene Duplication; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Gene specificity; Germination; Glutathione - metabolism; Glutathione Reductase - genetics; Glutathione Reductase - metabolism; Glutathione Transferase - genetics; Glutathione Transferase - metabolism; Glycine max - genetics; Glycine max - growth & development; Glycine max - metabolism; Leguminous species; NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases - genetics; NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases - metabolism; Oxidative Stress; Phylogeny; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism; Sub/neofunctionalization
• ISSN: 0141-8130; 1879-0003
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.07.103

Ascorbate-glutathione (AsA-GSH) cycle plays an important role in tuning beneficial ROS accumulation for intracellular signals and imparts plant tolerance to oxidative stress by detoxifying excess of ROS. Here, we present genome-wide identification of AsA-GSH cycle genes (APX, MDHAR, DHAR, and GR) in several leguminous species and expression analyses in G. max during stress, germination and tissue development. Our data revealed 24 genes in Glycine genus against the maximum of 15 in other leguminous species, which was due to 9 pars of duplicated genes mostly originated from sub/neofunctionalization. Cytosolic APX and MDHAR genes were highly expressed in different tissues and physiological conditions. Germination induced genes encoding AsA-GSH proteins from different cell compartments, whereas vegetative phase (leaves) stimulated predominantly genes related to chloroplast/mitochondria proteins. Moreover, cytosolic APX-1, 2, MDHAR-1a, 1b and GR genes were the primary genes linked to senescence and biotic stresses, while stAPX-a, b and GR (from organelles) were the most abiotic stress related genes. Biotic and abiotic stress tolerant genotypes generally showed increased MDHAR, DHAR and/or GR mRNA levels compared to susceptible genotypes. Overall, these data clarified evolutionary events in leguminous plants and point to the functional specificity of duplicated genes of the AsA-GSH cycle in G. max.