Author:
Liu Yongle,Li Changgen,Qin Aokang,Deng Wenli,Chen Rongrong,Yu Hongyang,Wang Yihua,Song Jianbo,Zeng Liming
Abstract
Abstract
Background
The U-box gene family encodes E3 ubiquitin ligases involved in plant hormone signaling pathways and abiotic stress responses. However, there has yet to be a comprehensive analysis of the U-box gene family in maize (Zea mays L.) and its responses to abiotic stress.
Results
In this study, 85 U-box family proteins were identified in maize and were classified into four subfamilies based on phylogenetic analysis. In addition to the conserved U-box domain, we identified additional functional domains, including Pkinase, ARM, KAP and Tyr domains, by analyzing the conserved motifs and gene structures. Chromosomal localization and collinearity analysis revealed that gene duplications may have contributed to the expansion and evolution of the U-box gene family. GO annotation and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis identified a total of 105 GO terms and 21 KEGG pathways that were notably enriched, including ubiquitin-protein transferase activity, ubiquitin conjugating enzyme activity and ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis pathway. Tissue expression analysis showed that some ZmPUB genes were specifically expressed in certain tissues and that this could be due to their functions. In addition, RNA-seq data for maize seedlings under salt stress revealed 16 stress-inducible plant U-box genes, of which 10 genes were upregulated and 6 genes were downregulated. The qRT-PCR results for genes responding to abiotic stress were consistent with the transcriptome analysis. Among them, ZmPUB13, ZmPUB18, ZmPUB19 and ZmPUB68 were upregulated under all three abiotic stress conditions. Subcellular localization analysis showed that ZmPUB19 and ZmPUB59 were located in the nucleus.
Conclusions
Overall, our study provides a comprehensive analysis of the U-box gene family in maize and its responses to abiotic stress, suggesting that U-box genes play an important role in the stress response and providing insights into the regulatory mechanisms underlying the response to abiotic stress in maize.
Funder
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Natural Science Foundation of Jiangxi Province
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Reference80 articles.
1. Kajla M, Yadav VK, Khokhar J, Singh S, Chhokar RS, Meena RP, Sharma RK. Increase in wheat production through management of abiotic stresses: a review. J Appl Nat Sci. 2015;7(2):1070–80.
2. Wang S, Lv X, Zhang J, Chen D, Chen S, Fan G, Ma C, Wang Y. Roles of E3 ubiquitin ligases in plant responses to abiotic stresses. INT J Mol Sci. 2022;23(4):2308.
3. Aravind L, Koonin EV. The U box is a modified RING finger - a common domain in ubiquitination. Curr Biol. 2000;10(4):R132-134.
4. Pickart CM. Mechanisms underlying ubiquitination. Annu Rev Biochem. 2001;70:503–33.
5. Finley D, Chau V. Ubiquitination. Annu Rev Cell Biol. 1991;7:25–69.