Identification, Classification and Characterization of LBD Transcription Factor Family Genes in .

Transcription factors (TFs) are a class of proteins that play an important regulatory role in controlling the expression of plant target genes by interacting with downstream regulatory genes. The lateral organ boundary (LOB) structural domain () genes are a family of genes encoding plant-specific transcription factors that play important roles in regulating plant growth and development, nutrient metabolism, and environmental stresses. However, the gene family has not been systematically identified in , one of the most important conifers in southern China. Therefore, in this study, we combined cell biology and bioinformatics approaches to identify the gene family of by systematic gene structure and functional evolutionary analysis. We obtained 47 gene family members, and all members can be divided into two subfamilies, (Class I and Class II). By treating the plants with abiotic stress and growth hormone, etc., under qPCR-based analysis, we found that the expression of genes was regulated by growth hormone and abiotic stress treatments, and thus this gene family in growth and development may be actively involved in plant growth and development and responses to adversity stress, etc. By subcellular localization analysis, PmLBD is a nuclear protein, and two of the genes, and , were selected for functional characterization; secondly, yeast self-activation analysis showed that , , and had no self-activating activity. This study lays the foundation for an in-depth study of the role of the gene family in other physiological activities of .