Summary: | The hyperosmolality-gated calcium-permeable channels (OSCA) play an imperative role in the plant response to environmental stresses. Moreover, their characteristics in the ornamental woody plant <i>Liriodendron chinense</i>, widely dispersed in the southern region of China, is yet to be elucidated. In the present study, 399 OSCA proteins were identified from 31 plant genomes, and comparative phylogenetic analysis revealed that <i>LchiOSCAs</i> gene family is closely related to the Magnolia <i>Cinnamomum kanehirae</i> OSCAs. In <i>L. chinense,</i> 11 <i>LchiOSCA</i> genes were identified and distributed across eight chromosomes. Additionally, phylogenetic analysis of <i>LchiOSCAs</i> exhibited a classification into four subfamilies based on the tree arrangement, similarity in the gene structures, and conserved motif numbers and order. Gene duplication investigations were biased towards the tandem duplication events, accounting for 36% (4/11) of the <i>LchiOSCA</i> gene family. The interspecies collinearity analysis revealed a closer relationship between the <i>L. chinense OSCAs</i> and the <i>P. trichocarpa OSCAs</i>. Analysis in promoter regions of the <i>LchiOSCAs</i> showed the presence of multiple phytohormones and stress responsive elements. Specifically, the ABA-responsive elements had the greatest representation. 3D protein structures of the modeled <i>L. chinense</i> OSCAs exhibited a high homology with the template structures, providing a better understanding of LchiOSCAs’ functionality at the proteome level. The expression pattern analysis of <i>LchiOSCAs</i> based on the transcriptome data and qRT-PCR in <i>L. chinense</i> leaves showed differential responses to drought, cold, and heat stress at varying degrees. Specifically, <i>LchiOSCA2</i> and <i>LchiOSCA4</i> were highly expressed under the three abiotic stresses. This research will provide valuable resources and further the understanding of plant <i>OSCA</i> genes in <i>L. chinense</i> for agronomic breeding and bio-engineering purposes.
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