Find in Library

Response regulator (RR) is the core component of cytokinin (CK) signaling, and it regulates the expression of numerous downstream CK-responsive genes. However, the knowledge regarding the pecan <i>RR</i> (<i>CiRR</i>) gene family is still limited. In this study, we first monitored trans-zeatin riboside (tZR) content in the graft union 0, 7, 14, and 32 days after grafting and then conducted genome-wide analysis and expression profiling of the <i>CiRR</i> gene family using an available genome sequence and RNA-seq dataset, aiming to better understand the roles of CK during pecan grafting. The dynamic contents of tZR showed an increased trend during the specific period for both the scion and rootstock. There were 20 <i>CiRRs</i> in the pecan genome, including 12 type A <i>CiRRs</i>, 5 type B members, and 3 type C genes. All members contained a receiver domain and type B <i>CiRRs</i> possessed an additional Myb-like DNA-binding domain. Promoter analysis showed that the <i>CiRR</i> gene family contained <i>cis</i>-elements associated with growth and development, hormones, and stress. A total of 10 genes, including <i>CiRR18/9/4a/14a/12c/5/12b/14b/2b/2a</i>, were abundantly expressed in the samples of different tissues, drought stress, and kernel development. There were 12 genes (<i>CiRR5/18/4a/12b/2b/12c/14b/2a/14a/4b/9/11a</i>) showing active expressions during grafting, and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) grouped them into six modules. Among them, <i>CiRR14a</i> and <i>CiRR12b</i> were the hub genes for the turquoise and brown modules, respectively. Functional annotation indicated that the turquoise module was associated with gene transcription and translation, while the brown module was related to cell proliferation. Our results suggest that the <i>CiRR</i> gene family central to CK signaling is probably involved in callus formation during pecan grafting.