Comparative Genome-Wide Identification of the <i>Fatty Acid Desaturase</i> Gene Family in Tea and Oil Tea

oleh: Ziqi Ye, Dan Mao, Yujian Wang, Hongda Deng, Xing Liu, Tongyue Zhang, Zhiqiang Han, Xingtan Zhang

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2024-05-01

Deskripsi

Camellia oil is valuable as an edible oil and serves as a base material for a range of high-value products. <i>Camellia</i> plants of significant economic importance, such as <i>Camellia sinensis</i> and <i>Camellia oleifera</i>, have been classified into sect. <i>Thea</i> and sect. <i>Oleifera</i>, respectively. Fatty acid desaturases play a crucial role in catalyzing the formation of double bonds at specific positions of fatty acid chains, leading to the production of unsaturated fatty acids and contributing to lipid synthesis. Comparative genomics results have revealed that expanded gene families in oil tea are enriched in functions related to lipid, fatty acid, and seed processes. To explore the function of the <i>FAD</i> gene family, a total of 82 <i>FAD</i> genes were identified in tea and oil tea. Transcriptome data showed the differential expression of the <i>FAD</i> gene family in mature seeds of tea tree and oil tea tree. Furthermore, the structural analysis and clustering of FAD proteins provided insights for the further exploration of the function of the <i>FAD</i> gene family and its role in lipid synthesis. Overall, these findings shed light on the role of the <i>FAD</i> gene family in <i>Camellia</i> plants and their involvement in lipid metabolism, as well as provide a reference for understanding their function in oil synthesis.