Bioinformatic Analysis of the BTB Gene Family in <i>Paulownia fortunei</i> and Functional Characterization in Response to Abiotic and Biotic Stresses

oleh: Peipei Zhu, Yujie Fan, Pingluo Xu, Guoqiang Fan

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2023-12-01

Deskripsi

To learn about the gene structure, phylogenetic evolution, and function under biotic and abiotic stresses of BTB (Bric-a-Brac/Tramtrack/Broad Complex) genes in <i>Paulownia fortunei</i>, a whole-genome sequence evaluation was carried out, and a total of 62 <i>PfBTB</i> genes were identified. The phylogenetic analysis showed that PfBTB proteins are divided into eight groups, and these proteins are highly conserved. <i>PfBTB</i> genes were unevenly distributed on 17 chromosomes. The colinearity analysis found that fragment replication and tandem replication are the main modes of gene amplification in the <i>PfBTB</i> family. The analysis of <i>cis</i>-acting elements suggests that <i>PfBTB</i> genes may be involved in a variety of biological processes. The transcriptomic analysis results showed that <i>PfBTB3/12/14/16/19/36/44</i> responded to Paulownia witches’ broom (PaWB), while <i>PfBTB1/4/17/43</i> responded to drought stress, and the RT-qPCR results further support the reliability of transcriptome data. In addition, the association analysis between miRNA and transcriptome revealed a 91-pair targeting relationship between miRNAs and <i>PfBTBs</i>. In conclusion, the <i>BTB</i> genes in <i>Paulownia</i> are systematically identified in this research. This work provides useful knowledge to more fully appreciate the potential functions of these genes and their possible roles in the occurrence of PaWB and in response to stress.