Molecular Traits and Functional Exploration of Gene Family in Plants.

The (BRI1-EMSSUPPRESSOR1) gene family is a unique class of transcription factors that play dynamic roles in the Brassinosteroids (BRs) signaling pathway. The published genome sequences of a large number of plants provide an opportunity to identify and perform a comprehensive functional study on the gene family for their potential roles in developmental processes and stress responses. A total of 135 genes in 27 plant species were recognized and characterized, which were divided into five well-conserved subfamilies. was not found in lower plants, such as and . The spatial expression profiles of in Arabidopsis, rice, and cotton, as well as their response to abiotic stresses, were analyzed. The overexpression of two rice genes, i.e., and , promotes root growth under drought stress. The overexpression of from cotton enhanced the salt tolerance in Arabidopsis. Five protein interaction networks were constructed and numerous genes co-expressed with were characterized in transgenic Arabidopsis. may have evolved in the ancestors of the first land plants following its divergence from algae. Our results lay the foundation for understanding the complex mechanisms of -mediated developmental processes and abiotic stress tolerance.