Genome-wide identification of the WRKY gene family in blueberry ( Vaccinium spp.) and expression analysis under abiotic stress

• Published in: Frontiers in plant science 2024-08, Vol.15, p.1447749
• Main Authors: Lei, Lei, Dong, Kun, Liu, Siwen, Li, Yadong, Xu, Guohui, Sun, Haiyue
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: abiotic stress; expression pattern; gene duplication; Plant Science; subcellular localization; Vaccinium spp; WRKY transcription factors
• ISSN: 1664-462X; 1664-462X
• DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1447749

The transcription factor ( ) family is one of the largest families in plants and is widely involved in responses to both biotic and abiotic stresses. To clarify the function of the family in blueberries, this study identified the genes within the blueberry genome and systematically analyzed gene characteristics, phylogenetic evolution, promoter -elements, expression patterns, and subcellular localization of the encoded products. In this study, 57 genes were identified, and all encoding products had a complete heptapeptide structure and zinc-finger motif. The genes were divided into three subgroups (I-III) by phylogenetic analysis. Group II was divided into five subgroups: IIa, IIb, IIc, IId, and IIe. 57 genes were distributed unevenly across 32 chromosomes. The amino acids ranged from 172 to 841, and molecular weights varied from 19.75 to 92.28 kD. Intra-group syntenic analysis identified 12 pairs of duplicate segments. Furthermore, 34 -element recognition sites were identified in the promoter regions of genes, primarily comprising phytohormone-responsive and light-responsive elements. Comparative syntenic maps were generated to investigate the evolutionary relationships of genes, revealing the closest homology to dicotyledonous gene families. genes were predominantly expressed in the fruit flesh and roots of blueberries. Gene expression analysis showed that the responses of genes to stress treatments were more strongly in leaves than in roots. Notably, and exhibited significant upregulation under salt stress, alkali stress, and saline-alkali stress, and and showed notable induction under drought stress. Subcellular localization analysis confirmed that and function within the nucleus. These findings establish a foundation for further investigation into the functions and regulatory mechanisms of genes and provide guidance for selecting stress-tolerant genes in the development of blueberry cultivars.