Yu Fan1, Hao Yang1, Dili Lai1, Ailing He1, Guoxing Xue1, Liang Feng2, Long Chen3, Xiao-Bin Cheng4, Jingjun Ruan1, Jun Yan5, Jianping Cheng6. 1. College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang City, 550025, Guizhou Province, P.R. China. 2. Chengdu Food and Drug Inspection Institute, Chengdu, 610000, P.R. China. 3. Department of Nursing, Sichuan Tianyi College, Mianzhu, 618200, P.R. China. 4. Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Sichuan MinZu College, Kangding, 626001, P.R. China. 5. School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, P.R. China. yanjun62@qq.com. 6. College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang City, 550025, Guizhou Province, P.R. China. chengjianping63@qq.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) is a superfamily of transcription factors that is widely found in plants and animals, and is the second largest transcription factor family in eukaryotes after MYB. They have been shown to be important regulatory components in tissue development and many different biological processes. However, no systemic analysis of the bHLH transcription factor family has yet been reported in Sorghum bicolor. RESULTS: We conducted the first genome-wide analysis of the bHLH transcription factor family of Sorghum bicolor and identified 174 SbbHLH genes. Phylogenetic analysis of SbbHLH proteins and 158 Arabidopsis thaliana bHLH proteins was performed to determine their homology. In addition, conserved motifs, gene structure, chromosomal spread, and gene duplication of SbbHLH genes were studied in depth. To further infer the phylogenetic mechanisms in the SbbHLH family, we constructed six comparative syntenic maps of S. bicolor associated with six representative species. Finally, we analyzed the gene-expression response and tissue-development characteristics of 12 typical SbbHLH genes in plants subjected to six different abiotic stresses. Gene expression during flower and fruit development was also examined. CONCLUSIONS: This study is of great significance for functional identification and confirmation of the S. bicolor bHLH superfamily and for our understanding of the bHLH superfamily in higher plants.
BACKGROUND: Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) is a superfamily of transcription factors that is widely found in plants and animals, and is the second largest transcription factor family in eukaryotes after MYB. They have been shown to be important regulatory components in tissue development and many different biological processes. However, no systemic analysis of the bHLH transcription factor family has yet been reported in Sorghum bicolor. RESULTS: We conducted the first genome-wide analysis of the bHLH transcription factor family of Sorghum bicolor and identified 174 SbbHLH genes. Phylogenetic analysis of SbbHLH proteins and 158 Arabidopsis thalianabHLH proteins was performed to determine their homology. In addition, conserved motifs, gene structure, chromosomal spread, and gene duplication of SbbHLH genes were studied in depth. To further infer the phylogenetic mechanisms in the SbbHLH family, we constructed six comparative syntenic maps of S. bicolor associated with six representative species. Finally, we analyzed the gene-expression response and tissue-development characteristics of 12 typical SbbHLH genes in plants subjected to six different abiotic stresses. Gene expression during flower and fruit development was also examined. CONCLUSIONS: This study is of great significance for functional identification and confirmation of the S. bicolorbHLH superfamily and for our understanding of the bHLH superfamily in higher plants.
Entities:
Keywords:
Abiotic stress; Genome-wide analysis; Sorghum bicolor; bHLH gene family