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Genome-wide identification and expression profiles of AP2/ERF transcription factor family in mung bean (Vigna radiata L.)

  • Plant Genetics • Original Paper
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Abstract

Mung bean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) is an economically important grain legume crop in Asia, with high nutritional quality and potential in other parts of the world particularly arid and semiarid regions. Considering the potential adverse effects of drought, high salt, and other abiotic stresses on crop yield, significant efforts have been made to understand the underlying molecular mechanisms of tolerance to these abiotic stresses in legumes. In this study, a total of 186 putative AP2/ERF genes were identified, which were named VrERF1-186. These VrERF genes were classified into four main subfamilies according to the number of AP2 domains and sequence similarity, including 24 AP2 gene members, 81 ERF gene members, 79 DREB gene members, and 2 RAV members. VrERF genes are scattered across all 11 chromosomes and form small gene clusters on chromosomes due to segmental or tandem duplication. Promoter analysis revealed various cis-acting elements related to light, hormones, and stress responsiveness processes. The expression profiles of the VrERF genes in tissues during development and in response to abiotic stresses were assessed by transcriptome sequencing, and the selected reference genes were validated by qRT-PCR. A total of 174 VrERF genes were expressed in at least one of five tissues, while others showed distinct expression patterns in different tissues or under specific abiotic stress treatments, which indicates that VrERF genes are involved in developmental and environmental stress responses in V. radiata. In conclusion, the genome localization, genome-wide characterization, gene duplication, phylogenetic relationships, and expression pattern of VrERF genes in V. radiata were analyzed, and these results will lay the foundation for further functional analysis of these genes and improve stress tolerance to adverse conditions in plants.

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All the data generated in the experiments are presented in manuscript and its supplementary files.

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Funding

This study was funded by the National Key R&D Program of China (2018YFD1000700/2018YFD1000703), Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program (ASTIP) of CAAS, Central Public-interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund (No. S2021XC05) and China Agriculture Research System of MOF and MARA-Food Legumes (CARS-08).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China

    Honglin Chen, Liangliang Hu, Lixia Wang, Suhua Wang & Xuzhen Cheng

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  1. Honglin Chen
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  2. Liangliang Hu
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  3. Lixia Wang
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  4. Suhua Wang
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  5. Xuzhen Cheng
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Contributions

HLC and XZC conceived and designed all the experiments; HLC and LLH carried out the experiments and drafted the manuscript. HLC processed and analyzed the data. SHW and LXW cultured the plants and collected the samples for study. All authors read the manuscript and approved for publication and revised the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Honglin Chen or Xuzhen Cheng.

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Communicated by: Izabela Pawłowicz

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Chen, H., Hu, L., Wang, L. et al. Genome-wide identification and expression profiles of AP2/ERF transcription factor family in mung bean (Vigna radiata L.). J Appl Genetics 63, 223–236 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13353-021-00675-8

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