Genome-Wide Identification of Sweet Orange WRKY Transcription Factors and Analysis of Their Expression in Response to Infection by <i>Penicillium digitatum</i>

WRKY transcription factors (TFs) play a vital role in plant stress signal transduction and regulate the expression of various stress resistance genes. Sweet orange (<i>Citrus sinensis</i>) accounts for a large proportion of the world’s citrus industry, which has high economic value, whil...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Dengxian Xi, Tuo Yin, Peichen Han, Xiuyao Yang, Mengjie Zhang, Chaojin Du, Hanyao Zhang, Xiaozhen Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-02-01
Series:Current Issues in Molecular Biology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/45/2/82
_version_ 1797621662013718528
author Dengxian Xi
Tuo Yin
Peichen Han
Xiuyao Yang
Mengjie Zhang
Chaojin Du
Hanyao Zhang
Xiaozhen Liu
author_facet Dengxian Xi
Tuo Yin
Peichen Han
Xiuyao Yang
Mengjie Zhang
Chaojin Du
Hanyao Zhang
Xiaozhen Liu
author_sort Dengxian Xi
collection DOAJ
description WRKY transcription factors (TFs) play a vital role in plant stress signal transduction and regulate the expression of various stress resistance genes. Sweet orange (<i>Citrus sinensis</i>) accounts for a large proportion of the world’s citrus industry, which has high economic value, while <i>Penicillium digitatum</i> is a prime pathogenic causing postharvest rot of oranges. There are few reports on how CsWRKY TFs play their regulatory roles after <i>P. digitatum</i> infects the fruit. In this study, we performed genome-wide identification, classification, phylogenetic and conserved domain analysis of CsWRKY TFs, visualized the structure and chromosomal localization of the encoded genes, explored the expression pattern of each <i>CsWRKY</i> gene under <i>P. digitatum</i> stress by transcriptome data, and made the functional prediction of the related genes. This study provided insight into the characteristics of 47 CsWRKY TFs, which were divided into three subfamilies and eight subgroups. TFs coding genes were unevenly distributed on nine chromosomes. The visualized results of the intron-exon structure and domain are closely related to phylogeny, and widely distributed cis-regulatory elements on each gene played a global regulatory role in gene expression. The expansion of the CSWRKY TFs family was probably facilitated by twenty-one pairs of duplicated genes, and the results of Ka/Ks calculations indicated that this gene family was primarily subjected to purifying selection during evolution. Our transcriptome data showed that 95.7% of <i>WRKY</i> genes were involved in the transcriptional regulation of sweet orange in response to <i>P. digitatum</i> infection. We obtained 15 differentially expressed genes and used the reported function of <i>AtWRKY</i> genes as references. They may be involved in defense against <i>P. digitatum</i> and other pathogens, closely related to the stress responses during plant growth and development. Two interesting genes, <i>CsWRKY2</i> and <i>CsWRKY14</i>, were expressed more than 60 times and could be used as excellent candidate genes in sweet orange genetic improvement. This study offers a theoretical basis for the response of CSWRKY TFs to <i>P. digitatum</i> infection and provides a vital reference for molecular breeding.
first_indexed 2024-03-11T08:59:06Z
format Article
id doaj.art-8d0e394332564184a2ec20346f5fa919
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1467-3037
1467-3045
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-11T08:59:06Z
publishDate 2023-02-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Current Issues in Molecular Biology
spelling doaj.art-8d0e394332564184a2ec20346f5fa9192023-11-16T19:50:52ZengMDPI AGCurrent Issues in Molecular Biology1467-30371467-30452023-02-014521250127110.3390/cimb45020082Genome-Wide Identification of Sweet Orange WRKY Transcription Factors and Analysis of Their Expression in Response to Infection by <i>Penicillium digitatum</i>Dengxian Xi0Tuo Yin1Peichen Han2Xiuyao Yang3Mengjie Zhang4Chaojin Du5Hanyao Zhang6Xiaozhen Liu7Key Laboratory for Forest Resources Conservation and Utilization in the Southwest Mountains of China, Ministry of Education, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, ChinaKey Laboratory for Forest Resources Conservation and Utilization in the Southwest Mountains of China, Ministry of Education, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, ChinaKey Laboratory for Forest Resources Conservation and Utilization in the Southwest Mountains of China, Ministry of Education, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, ChinaKey Laboratory for Forest Resources Conservation and Utilization in the Southwest Mountains of China, Ministry of Education, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, ChinaKey Laboratory of Biodiversity Conservation in Southwest China, National Forest and Grassland Administration, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, ChinaKey Laboratory of Biodiversity Conservation in Southwest China, National Forest and Grassland Administration, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, ChinaKey Laboratory for Forest Resources Conservation and Utilization in the Southwest Mountains of China, Ministry of Education, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, ChinaKey Laboratory of Biodiversity Conservation in Southwest China, National Forest and Grassland Administration, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, ChinaWRKY transcription factors (TFs) play a vital role in plant stress signal transduction and regulate the expression of various stress resistance genes. Sweet orange (<i>Citrus sinensis</i>) accounts for a large proportion of the world’s citrus industry, which has high economic value, while <i>Penicillium digitatum</i> is a prime pathogenic causing postharvest rot of oranges. There are few reports on how CsWRKY TFs play their regulatory roles after <i>P. digitatum</i> infects the fruit. In this study, we performed genome-wide identification, classification, phylogenetic and conserved domain analysis of CsWRKY TFs, visualized the structure and chromosomal localization of the encoded genes, explored the expression pattern of each <i>CsWRKY</i> gene under <i>P. digitatum</i> stress by transcriptome data, and made the functional prediction of the related genes. This study provided insight into the characteristics of 47 CsWRKY TFs, which were divided into three subfamilies and eight subgroups. TFs coding genes were unevenly distributed on nine chromosomes. The visualized results of the intron-exon structure and domain are closely related to phylogeny, and widely distributed cis-regulatory elements on each gene played a global regulatory role in gene expression. The expansion of the CSWRKY TFs family was probably facilitated by twenty-one pairs of duplicated genes, and the results of Ka/Ks calculations indicated that this gene family was primarily subjected to purifying selection during evolution. Our transcriptome data showed that 95.7% of <i>WRKY</i> genes were involved in the transcriptional regulation of sweet orange in response to <i>P. digitatum</i> infection. We obtained 15 differentially expressed genes and used the reported function of <i>AtWRKY</i> genes as references. They may be involved in defense against <i>P. digitatum</i> and other pathogens, closely related to the stress responses during plant growth and development. Two interesting genes, <i>CsWRKY2</i> and <i>CsWRKY14</i>, were expressed more than 60 times and could be used as excellent candidate genes in sweet orange genetic improvement. This study offers a theoretical basis for the response of CSWRKY TFs to <i>P. digitatum</i> infection and provides a vital reference for molecular breeding.https://www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/45/2/82sweet orangeWRKY transcription factorbiological stress<i>Penicillium digitatum</i>genome-wide analysis
spellingShingle Dengxian Xi
Tuo Yin
Peichen Han
Xiuyao Yang
Mengjie Zhang
Chaojin Du
Hanyao Zhang
Xiaozhen Liu
Genome-Wide Identification of Sweet Orange WRKY Transcription Factors and Analysis of Their Expression in Response to Infection by <i>Penicillium digitatum</i>
Current Issues in Molecular Biology
sweet orange
WRKY transcription factor
biological stress
<i>Penicillium digitatum</i>
genome-wide analysis
title Genome-Wide Identification of Sweet Orange WRKY Transcription Factors and Analysis of Their Expression in Response to Infection by <i>Penicillium digitatum</i>
title_full Genome-Wide Identification of Sweet Orange WRKY Transcription Factors and Analysis of Their Expression in Response to Infection by <i>Penicillium digitatum</i>
title_fullStr Genome-Wide Identification of Sweet Orange WRKY Transcription Factors and Analysis of Their Expression in Response to Infection by <i>Penicillium digitatum</i>
title_full_unstemmed Genome-Wide Identification of Sweet Orange WRKY Transcription Factors and Analysis of Their Expression in Response to Infection by <i>Penicillium digitatum</i>
title_short Genome-Wide Identification of Sweet Orange WRKY Transcription Factors and Analysis of Their Expression in Response to Infection by <i>Penicillium digitatum</i>
title_sort genome wide identification of sweet orange wrky transcription factors and analysis of their expression in response to infection by i penicillium digitatum i
topic sweet orange
WRKY transcription factor
biological stress
<i>Penicillium digitatum</i>
genome-wide analysis
url https://www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/45/2/82
work_keys_str_mv AT dengxianxi genomewideidentificationofsweetorangewrkytranscriptionfactorsandanalysisoftheirexpressioninresponsetoinfectionbyipenicilliumdigitatumi
AT tuoyin genomewideidentificationofsweetorangewrkytranscriptionfactorsandanalysisoftheirexpressioninresponsetoinfectionbyipenicilliumdigitatumi
AT peichenhan genomewideidentificationofsweetorangewrkytranscriptionfactorsandanalysisoftheirexpressioninresponsetoinfectionbyipenicilliumdigitatumi
AT xiuyaoyang genomewideidentificationofsweetorangewrkytranscriptionfactorsandanalysisoftheirexpressioninresponsetoinfectionbyipenicilliumdigitatumi
AT mengjiezhang genomewideidentificationofsweetorangewrkytranscriptionfactorsandanalysisoftheirexpressioninresponsetoinfectionbyipenicilliumdigitatumi
AT chaojindu genomewideidentificationofsweetorangewrkytranscriptionfactorsandanalysisoftheirexpressioninresponsetoinfectionbyipenicilliumdigitatumi
AT hanyaozhang genomewideidentificationofsweetorangewrkytranscriptionfactorsandanalysisoftheirexpressioninresponsetoinfectionbyipenicilliumdigitatumi
AT xiaozhenliu genomewideidentificationofsweetorangewrkytranscriptionfactorsandanalysisoftheirexpressioninresponsetoinfectionbyipenicilliumdigitatumi