The phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase gene family identification and expression analysis under abiotic and phytohormone stresses in Solanum lycopersicum L.

The ubiquitous phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase enzymes in plants play pivotal role during carbon metabolism in photosynthesis, physicochemical processes, and tolerance to various abiotic or chemical stresses. We are presenting a bioinformatics identification of PEPC gene family in tomato and its phylogenetic classification into PTPC and BTPC sub families. Tomato PEPC genes are distributed in four different chromosomes with a unique motif and gene structure that strengthen their classification into two sub families. Identification of twelve different cis-regulatory elements related to abiotic and exogenous phytohormones showed their diverse role. Moreover, RNA-seq and qRT-PCR based tissues specific analysis revealed their role in its growth and development. In tomato, PEPC genes exhibited a diverse temporal expression under salt, cold and exogenous phytohormones. For an instance, SlPEPC1, SlPEPC4, and SlPEPC5 was upregulated under salt, drought, ABA, and JA in shoots. While, SlPEPC3, SlPEPC4, and SlPEPC5 was induced in root tissues upon exposure to drought, cold, and GA. Similarly, the enzyme activity of tomato PEPC was significantly upregulated under all these stresses but peaked under salt and IAA in roots and under GA in leaves. All tomato PEPC predicted in cytoplasm and the transient expression assay validate it. Our study insight into unique features of PEPC gene family in tomato and may sever as foundation for functional their studies.