Comparative genomic analysis of superoxide dismutase () genes in three Rosaceae species and expression analysis in .

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Superoxide dismutases (SODs) are antioxidant enzymes that play a critical role in the polymerization of lignin monomers. Although current research has indicated that SODs are involved in plant growth and development, information on s in pear () and their function in lignin formation is scarce. In this study, 25 s, containing three kinds of plant SODs (Cu/Zn-SODs, Mn-SODs, and Fe-SODs), were identified from three Rosaceae species, and 11 of these genes were found in pear. According to the evolutionary analysis, the genes were divided into four subgroups, the division of which is consistent with the intron-exon and conserved motif analyses. These s were randomly scattered across 7 chromosomes. We have analysed the conserved domains and gene family evolution and predicted the -elements of the promoter. Ka/Ks analysis pointed that genes mainly underwent purifying selection. Subsequently, the expression patterns of 11 s were examined in different tissues, at different developmental periods, in different pear varieties and under different hormone treatments. Gene expression analysis showed that exhibited transcript levels consistent with the typical changes in lignin content. The changes in SOD activity and hydrogen peroxide (HO) content combined with the results of a spatio-temporal expression analysis showed that was a candidate gene in reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism during the lignification of pear stone cells. Thus, our research reveals the evolutionary features of the SOD family in Rosaceae species and provide useful information for analysis of functional genome of the SOD family in pear.

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The online version of this article (10.1007/s12298-021-00926-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.