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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Plant Sci.
Sec. Plant Bioinformatics
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpls.2025.1536866
This article is part of the Research Topic Multi-omics and Computational Biology in Horticultural Plants: From Genotype to Phenotype, Volume III View all 6 articles

Comprehensive Genome-Wide Analysis of the GmFRIGIDA Gene Family in Soybean: Identification, Characterization, and Expression Dynamics

Provisionally accepted
Song Yu Song Yu 1Yuxuan Wang Yuxuan Wang 1Wenwen Ren Wenwen Ren 1Yisheng Fang Yisheng Fang 2Leili Wang Leili Wang 2Yifei Zhang Yifei Zhang 1Chengyang Song Chengyang Song 2*Xiao Luo Xiao Luo 2*
  • 1 College of Agricultural, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Heilongjiang, China
  • 2 Shandong Key Laboratory of Precision Molecular Crop Design and Breeding, Peking University Institute of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Shandong Laboratory of Advanced Agricultural Sciences in Weifang, Shandong 261325, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background FRIGIDA (FRI) genes are crucial for regulating flowering time in plants. While the biological importance of the FRL (FRIGIDA-LIKE) gene family has been recognized in Arabidopsis, a systematic analysis of these genes in soybean is lacking. Characterizing FRL genes in soybean will help uncover their roles in flowering regulation, offering valuable insights for improving soybean adaptation.Results In this study, we identified 16 FRIGIDA genes in soybean, naming them based on their relationship to the FRL genes in Arabidopsis thaliana. These genes are unevenly distributed across thirteen chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis categorizes FRIGIDA-LIKE proteins from Arabidopsis, soybean, and rice into four distinct subfamilies (Ⅰ–Ⅳ). Our findings indicate that eight GmFRLs arose from whole-genome duplication (WGD) events, alongside two tandem duplication events. Gene structure analysis confirmed that all GmFRL members contain FRIGIDA domains. Additionally, promoter analysis revealed numerous cis-acting elements related to photoperiodic response, suggesting their significant role in soybean's light response mechanisms. RNA-seq data demonstrated variable expression levels of GmFRL genes across tissues, including flower, leaf, pod, and seed, and other tissues, while subcellular localization and qPCR analyses further support their vital role in light responsiveness in soybean.Conclusion In summary, our comprehensive analysis offers valuable insights into the evolution and potential functions of GmFRL genes, emphasizing their significance in photoperiodic responses and establishing a foundation for further research on the GmFRL family.

    Keywords: Glycine max, FRIGIDA-LIKE, photoperiod response, Gene Expression, Genomewide identification

    Received: 29 Nov 2024; Accepted: 07 Feb 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Yu, Wang, Ren, Fang, Wang, Zhang, Song and Luo. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Chengyang Song, Shandong Key Laboratory of Precision Molecular Crop Design and Breeding, Peking University Institute of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Shandong Laboratory of Advanced Agricultural Sciences in Weifang, Shandong 261325, China
    Xiao Luo, Shandong Key Laboratory of Precision Molecular Crop Design and Breeding, Peking University Institute of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Shandong Laboratory of Advanced Agricultural Sciences in Weifang, Shandong 261325, China

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