Characterization of the Calmodulin/Calmodulin-like Protein (CAM/CML) Family in , and the Influence of an Ectopically Expressed Gene () on Seedling and Fruit Development of Transgenic .

Calmodulins (CAMs) and calmodulin-like proteins (CMLs) can participate in the regulation of various physiological processes via sensing and decoding Ca signals. To reveal the characteristics of the CAM/CML family in , a comprehensive analysis was performed at the genome-wide level. A total of 26 s, consisting of 5 s and 21 s, was identified on 11 out of 12 chromosomes in . They displayed a certain degree of multiplicity in their sequences, albeit with conserved EF hands. Collinearity analysis suggested that tandem rather than segmental or whole-genome duplications were likely to play roles in the evolution of the family. Furthermore, s were grouped into higher, lower, and moderate expression in magnitude. The cis-acting regulatory elements involved in phytohormone-responsiveness within promotors may explain their varied expression profiles. The ectopic expression of a gene () in transgenic led to phenotypes with significantly shortened root length and seedling height, and decreased yields of both pods and seeds. Moreover, an electrophoresis mobility shift assay demonstrated the Ca-binding activity of Gb_30819 in vitro. Altogether, these results contribute to insights into the characteristics of the evolution and expression of s, as well as evidence for Ca-CAM/CML pathways functioning within the ancient gymnosperm .