Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of the Aquaporin Gene Family in <i>Lycium barbarum</i> during Fruit Ripening and Seedling Response to Heat Stress
Plant–water relations mediated by aquaporins (AQPs) play vital roles in both key plant growth processes and responses to environmental challenges. As a well-known medicinal and edible plant, the harsh natural growth habitat endows <i>Lycium</i> plants with ideal materials for stress biol...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-11-01
|
| Series: | Current Issues in Molecular Biology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/44/12/404 |
| _version_ | 1797460791153131520 |
|---|---|
| author | Wei He Mingyu Liu Xiaoya Qin Aihua Liang Yan Chen Yue Yin Ken Qin Zixin Mu |
| author_facet | Wei He Mingyu Liu Xiaoya Qin Aihua Liang Yan Chen Yue Yin Ken Qin Zixin Mu |
| author_sort | Wei He |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Plant–water relations mediated by aquaporins (AQPs) play vital roles in both key plant growth processes and responses to environmental challenges. As a well-known medicinal and edible plant, the harsh natural growth habitat endows <i>Lycium</i> plants with ideal materials for stress biology research. However, the details of their molecular switch for water transport remain unclear. In the present work, we first identified and characterized AQP family genes from <i>Lycium</i> (<i>L.</i>) <i>barbarum</i> at the genome scale and conducted systemic bioinformatics and expression analyses. The results showed that there were 38 <i>Lycium barbarum</i> AQPs (LbAQPs) in <i>L. barbarum</i>, which were classified into four subfamilies, including 17 LbPIP, 9 LbTIP, 10 LbNIP, and 2 LbXIP. Their encoded genes were unevenly distributed on all 12 chromosomes, except chromosome 10. Three of these genes encoded truncated proteins and three genes underwent clear gene duplication events. Cis-acting element analysis indicated that the expression of <i>LbAQPs</i> may be mainly regulated by biotic/abiotic stress, phytohormones and light. The qRT-PCR assay indicated that this family of genes presented a clear tissue-specific expression pattern, in which most of the genes had maximal transcript levels in roots, stems, and leaves, while there were relatively lower levels in flowers and fruits. Most of the <i>LbAQP</i> genes were downregulated during <i>L. barbarum</i> fruit ripening and presented a negative correlation with the fruit relative water content (RWC). Most of their transcripts presented a quick and sharp upregulation response to heat stress following exposure of the 2-month-old seedlings to a 42 °C temperature for 0, 1, 3, 12, or 24 h. Our results proposed that <i>LbAQPs</i> were involved in <i>L. barbarum</i> key development events and abiotic stress responses, which may lay a foundation for further studying the molecular mechanism of the water relationship of <i>Lycium</i> plants, especially in harsh environments. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:11:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3146372b5ff647a5b1225bde40b1f078 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1467-3037 1467-3045 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:11:11Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Current Issues in Molecular Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-3146372b5ff647a5b1225bde40b1f0782023-11-24T14:03:28ZengMDPI AGCurrent Issues in Molecular Biology1467-30371467-30452022-11-0144125933594810.3390/cimb44120404Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of the Aquaporin Gene Family in <i>Lycium barbarum</i> during Fruit Ripening and Seedling Response to Heat StressWei He0Mingyu Liu1Xiaoya Qin2Aihua Liang3Yan Chen4Yue Yin5Ken Qin6Zixin Mu7College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, ChinaNational Wolfberry Engineering Research Center, Ningxia Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Yinchuan 750002, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences & Technology, Tarim University, Alar 843301, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, ChinaNational Wolfberry Engineering Research Center, Ningxia Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Yinchuan 750002, ChinaNational Wolfberry Engineering Research Center, Ningxia Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Yinchuan 750002, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, ChinaPlant–water relations mediated by aquaporins (AQPs) play vital roles in both key plant growth processes and responses to environmental challenges. As a well-known medicinal and edible plant, the harsh natural growth habitat endows <i>Lycium</i> plants with ideal materials for stress biology research. However, the details of their molecular switch for water transport remain unclear. In the present work, we first identified and characterized AQP family genes from <i>Lycium</i> (<i>L.</i>) <i>barbarum</i> at the genome scale and conducted systemic bioinformatics and expression analyses. The results showed that there were 38 <i>Lycium barbarum</i> AQPs (LbAQPs) in <i>L. barbarum</i>, which were classified into four subfamilies, including 17 LbPIP, 9 LbTIP, 10 LbNIP, and 2 LbXIP. Their encoded genes were unevenly distributed on all 12 chromosomes, except chromosome 10. Three of these genes encoded truncated proteins and three genes underwent clear gene duplication events. Cis-acting element analysis indicated that the expression of <i>LbAQPs</i> may be mainly regulated by biotic/abiotic stress, phytohormones and light. The qRT-PCR assay indicated that this family of genes presented a clear tissue-specific expression pattern, in which most of the genes had maximal transcript levels in roots, stems, and leaves, while there were relatively lower levels in flowers and fruits. Most of the <i>LbAQP</i> genes were downregulated during <i>L. barbarum</i> fruit ripening and presented a negative correlation with the fruit relative water content (RWC). Most of their transcripts presented a quick and sharp upregulation response to heat stress following exposure of the 2-month-old seedlings to a 42 °C temperature for 0, 1, 3, 12, or 24 h. Our results proposed that <i>LbAQPs</i> were involved in <i>L. barbarum</i> key development events and abiotic stress responses, which may lay a foundation for further studying the molecular mechanism of the water relationship of <i>Lycium</i> plants, especially in harsh environments.https://www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/44/12/404<i>Lycium barbarum</i>aquaporinsgenome-widewater relationsfruit ripeningheat stress |
| spellingShingle | Wei He Mingyu Liu Xiaoya Qin Aihua Liang Yan Chen Yue Yin Ken Qin Zixin Mu Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of the Aquaporin Gene Family in <i>Lycium barbarum</i> during Fruit Ripening and Seedling Response to Heat Stress Current Issues in Molecular Biology <i>Lycium barbarum</i> aquaporins genome-wide water relations fruit ripening heat stress |
| title | Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of the Aquaporin Gene Family in <i>Lycium barbarum</i> during Fruit Ripening and Seedling Response to Heat Stress |
| title_full | Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of the Aquaporin Gene Family in <i>Lycium barbarum</i> during Fruit Ripening and Seedling Response to Heat Stress |
| title_fullStr | Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of the Aquaporin Gene Family in <i>Lycium barbarum</i> during Fruit Ripening and Seedling Response to Heat Stress |
| title_full_unstemmed | Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of the Aquaporin Gene Family in <i>Lycium barbarum</i> during Fruit Ripening and Seedling Response to Heat Stress |
| title_short | Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of the Aquaporin Gene Family in <i>Lycium barbarum</i> during Fruit Ripening and Seedling Response to Heat Stress |
| title_sort | genome wide identification and expression analysis of the aquaporin gene family in i lycium barbarum i during fruit ripening and seedling response to heat stress |
| topic | <i>Lycium barbarum</i> aquaporins genome-wide water relations fruit ripening heat stress |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/44/12/404 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT weihe genomewideidentificationandexpressionanalysisoftheaquaporingenefamilyinilyciumbarbarumiduringfruitripeningandseedlingresponsetoheatstress AT mingyuliu genomewideidentificationandexpressionanalysisoftheaquaporingenefamilyinilyciumbarbarumiduringfruitripeningandseedlingresponsetoheatstress AT xiaoyaqin genomewideidentificationandexpressionanalysisoftheaquaporingenefamilyinilyciumbarbarumiduringfruitripeningandseedlingresponsetoheatstress AT aihualiang genomewideidentificationandexpressionanalysisoftheaquaporingenefamilyinilyciumbarbarumiduringfruitripeningandseedlingresponsetoheatstress AT yanchen genomewideidentificationandexpressionanalysisoftheaquaporingenefamilyinilyciumbarbarumiduringfruitripeningandseedlingresponsetoheatstress AT yueyin genomewideidentificationandexpressionanalysisoftheaquaporingenefamilyinilyciumbarbarumiduringfruitripeningandseedlingresponsetoheatstress AT kenqin genomewideidentificationandexpressionanalysisoftheaquaporingenefamilyinilyciumbarbarumiduringfruitripeningandseedlingresponsetoheatstress AT zixinmu genomewideidentificationandexpressionanalysisoftheaquaporingenefamilyinilyciumbarbarumiduringfruitripeningandseedlingresponsetoheatstress |