Kai Fan1,2,3, Shuna Yuan4, Jie Chen1,2,3, Yunrui Chen1,2,3, Zhaowei Li2,3, Weiwei Lin2,3, Yongqiang Zhang2,3, Jianping Liu2,3, Wenxiong Lin5,6,7. 1. Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, College of Crop Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China. 2. Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Agroecological Processing and Safety Monitoring, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China. 3. Key Laboratory of Crop Ecology and Molecular Physiology (Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University), Fujian Province University, Fuzhou, 35002, China. 4. Rubber Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences/Danzhou Investigation and Experiment Station of Tropical Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Danzhou, 571737, China. 5. Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, College of Crop Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China. lwx@fafu.edu.cn. 6. Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Agroecological Processing and Safety Monitoring, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China. lwx@fafu.edu.cn. 7. Key Laboratory of Crop Ecology and Molecular Physiology (Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University), Fujian Province University, Fuzhou, 35002, China. lwx@fafu.edu.cn.
Abstract
MAIN CONCLUSION: 97 ZmPP2Cs were clustered into 10 subfamilies with biased subfamily evolution and lineage-specific expansion. Segmental duplication after the divergence of maize and sorghum might have led to primary expansion of ZmPP2Cs. The protein phosphatase 2C (PP2C) enzymes control many stress responses and developmental processes in plants. In Zea mays, a comprehensive understanding of the evolution and expansion of the PP2C family is still lacking. In the current study, 97 ZmPP2Cs were identified and clustered into 10 subfamilies. Through the analysis of the PP2C family in monocots, the ZmPP2C subfamilies displayed biased subfamily molecular evolution and lineage-specific expansion, as evidenced by their differing numbers of member genes, expansion and evolutionary rates, conserved subdomains, chromosomal distributions, expression levels, responsive-regulatory elements and regulatory networks. Moreover, while segmental duplication events have caused the primary expansion of the ZmPP2Cs, the majority of their diversification occurred following the additional whole-genome duplication that took place after the divergence of maize and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). After this event, the PP2C subfamilies showed asymmetric evolutionary rates, with the D, F2 and H subfamily likely the most closely to resemble its ancestral subfamily's genes. These findings could provide novel insights into the molecular evolution and expansion of the PP2C family in maize, and lay the foundation for the functional analysis of these enzymes in maize and related monocots.
MAIN CONCLUSION: 97 ZmPP2Cs were clustered into 10 subfamilies with biased subfamily evolution and lineage-specific expansion. Segmental duplication after the divergence of maize and sorghum might have led to primary expansion of ZmPP2Cs. The protein phosphatase 2C (PP2C) enzymes control many stress responses and developmental processes in plants. In Zea mays, a comprehensive understanding of the evolution and expansion of the PP2C family is still lacking. In the current study, 97 ZmPP2Cs were identified and clustered into 10 subfamilies. Through the analysis of the PP2C family in monocots, the ZmPP2C subfamilies displayed biased subfamily molecular evolution and lineage-specific expansion, as evidenced by their differing numbers of member genes, expansion and evolutionary rates, conserved subdomains, chromosomal distributions, expression levels, responsive-regulatory elements and regulatory networks. Moreover, while segmental duplication events have caused the primary expansion of the ZmPP2Cs, the majority of their diversification occurred following the additional whole-genome duplication that took place after the divergence of maize and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). After this event, the PP2C subfamilies showed asymmetric evolutionary rates, with the D, F2 and H subfamily likely the most closely to resemble its ancestral subfamily's genes. These findings could provide novel insights into the molecular evolution and expansion of the PP2C family in maize, and lay the foundation for the functional analysis of these enzymes in maize and related monocots.
Authors: Gang Jiang; Muhammad A Hassan; Noor Muhammad; Muhammad Arshad; Xiang Chen; Yonghan Xu; Hui Xu; Qianqian Ni; Binbin Liu; Wenkang Yang; Jincai Li Journal: Front Plant Sci Date: 2022-02-03 Impact factor: 5.753