AUTHOR=Cheng Wenhui , Zhang Man , Cheng Tangren , Wang Jia , Zhang Qixiang 

TITLE=Genome-wide identification of Aux/IAA gene family and their expression analysis in Prunus mume

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Genetics

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/articles/10.3389/fgene.2022.1013822

DOI=10.3389/fgene.2022.1013822

ISSN=1664-8021

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>AUXIN/INDOLE ACETIC ACIDs</italic> (Aux/IAAs), an early auxin-responsive gene family, is important for plant growth and development. To fully comprehend the character of <italic>Aux/IAA</italic> genes in woody plants, we identified 19 <italic>PmIAA</italic> genes in <italic>Prunus mume</italic> and dissected their protein domains, phylogenetic relationship, gene structure, promoter, and expression patterns during floral bud flushing, auxin response, and abiotic stress response. The study showed that PmIAA proteins shared conserved Aux/IAA domain, but differed in protein motif composition. 19 <italic>PmIAA</italic> genes were divided into six groups (Groups Ⅰ to Ⅵ) based on phylogenetic analysis. The gene duplication analysis showed that segmental and dispersed duplication greatly influenced the expansion of <italic>PmIAA</italic> genes. Moreover, we identified and classified the cis-elements of <italic>PmIAA</italic> gene promoters and detected elements that are related to phytohormone responses and abiotic stress responses. With expression pattern analysis, we observed the auxin-responsive expression of <italic>PmIAA5, PmIAA17,</italic> and <italic>PmIAA18</italic> in flower bud, stem, and leaf tissues. <italic>PmIAA5, PmIAA13, PmIAA14, and PmIAA18</italic> were possibly involved in abiotic stress responses in <italic>P. mume</italic>. In general, these results laid the theoretical foundation for elaborating the functions of <italic>Aux/IAA</italic> genes in perennial woody plant development.</p>