Genome-Wide Identification of HSF Gene Family in Kiwifruit and the Function of AeHSFA2b in Salt Tolerance

Genome-Wide Identification of the IQM Gene Family and Their Transcriptional Responses to Abiotic Stresses in Kiwifruit (Actinidia eriantha)

IQM is a plant-specific calcium-binding protein that plays a pivotal role in various aspects of plant growth response to stressors. We investigated the IQM gene family and its expression patterns under diverse abiotic stresses and conducted a comprehensive analysis and characterization of the AeIQMs, including protein structure, genomic location, phylogenetic relationships, gene expression profiles, salt tolerance, and expression patterns of this gene family under different abiotic stresses. Based on phylogenetic analysis, these 10 AeIQMs were classified into three distinct subfamilies (I-III). Analysis of the protein motifs revealed a considerable level of conservation among these AeIQM proteins within their respective subfamilies in kiwifruit. The genomic distribution of the 10 AeIQM genes spanned across eight chromosomes, where four pairs of IQM gene duplicates were associated with segmental duplication events. qRT-PCR analysis revealed diverse expression patterns of these AeIQM genes under different hormone treatments, and most AeIQMs showed inducibility by salt stress. Further investigations indicated that overexpression of AeIQMs in yeast significantly enhanced salt tolerance. These findings suggest that AeIQM genes might be involved in hormonal signal transduction and response to abiotic stress in Actinidia eriantha. In summary, this study provides valuable insights into the physiological functions of IQMs in kiwifruit.

Characterization of the Heat Shock Transcription Factor Family in Lycoris radiata and Its Potential Roles in Response to Abiotic Stresses

Heat shock transcription factors (HSFs) are an essential plant-specific transcription factor family that regulates the developmental and growth stages of plants, their signal transduction, and their response to different abiotic and biotic stresses. The HSF gene family has been characterized and systematically observed in various species; however, research on its association with Lycoris radiata is limited. This study identified 22 HSF genes (LrHSFs) in the transcriptome-sequencing data of L. radiata and categorized them into three classes including HSFA, HSFB, and HSFC, comprising 10, 8, and 4 genes, respectively. This research comprises basic bioinformatics analyses, such as protein sequence length, molecular weight, and the identification of its conserved motifs. According to the subcellular localization assessment, most LrHSFs were present in the nucleus. Furthermore, the LrHSF gene expression in various tissues, flower developmental stages, two hormones stress, and under four different abiotic stresses were characterized. The data indicated that LrHSF genes, especially LrHSF5, were essentially involved in L. radiata development and its response to different abiotic and hormone stresses. The gene-gene interaction network analysis revealed the presence of synergistic effects between various LrHSF genes' responses against abiotic stresses. In conclusion, these results provided crucial data for further functional analyses of LrHSF genes, which could help successful molecular breeding in L. radiata.