Jiangsu Key Laboratory for the Research and Utilization of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, Jiangsu Province, China.
Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China.
BMC Genomics. 2023 Aug 8;24(1):447. doi: 10.1186/s12864-023-09509-9.
Lonicera japonica Thunb. is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. Medicinal L. japonica mainly consists of dried flower buds and partially opened flowers, thus flowers are an important quality indicator. MADS-box genes encode transcription factors that regulate flower development. However, little is known about these genes in L. japonica.
In this study, 48 MADS-box genes were identified in L. japonica, including 20 Type-I genes (8 Mα, 2 Mβ, and 10 Mγ) and 28 Type-II genes (26 MIKC and 2 MIKC). The Type-I and Type-II genes differed significantly in gene structure, conserved domains, protein structure, chromosomal distribution, phylogenesis, and expression pattern. Type-I genes had a simpler gene structure, lacked the K domain, had low protein structure conservation, were tandemly distributed on the chromosomes, had more frequent lineage-specific duplications, and were expressed at low levels. In contrast, Type-II genes had a more complex gene structure; contained conserved M, I, K, and C domains; had highly conserved protein structure; and were expressed at high levels throughout the flowering period. Eleven floral homeotic MADS-box genes that are orthologous to the proposed Arabidopsis ABCDE model of floral organ identity determination, were identified in L. japonica. By integrating expression pattern and protein interaction data for these genes, we developed a possible model for floral organ identity determination.
This study genome-widely identified and characterized the MADS-box gene family in L. japonica. Eleven floral homeotic MADS-box genes were identified and a possible model for floral organ identity determination was also developed. This study contributes to our understanding of the MADS-box gene family and its possible involvement in floral organ development in L. japonica.
忍冬是一种广泛应用于传统中药的植物。药用忍冬主要由干燥的花蕾和部分开放的花朵组成，因此花朵是一个重要的质量指标。MADS 框基因编码调节花发育的转录因子。然而，关于忍冬中的这些基因知之甚少。
本研究在忍冬中鉴定出 48 个 MADS 框基因，包括 20 个 I 型基因（8 个 Mα、2 个 Mβ 和 10 个 Mγ）和 28 个 II 型基因（26 个 MIKC 和 2 个 MIKC）。I 型和 II 型基因在基因结构、保守结构域、蛋白结构、染色体分布、系统发育和表达模式上存在显著差异。I 型基因具有更简单的基因结构，缺乏 K 结构域，蛋白结构保守性较低，串联分布在染色体上，具有更多的谱系特异性重复，表达水平较低。相比之下，II 型基因具有更复杂的基因结构，包含保守的 M、I、K 和 C 结构域，具有高度保守的蛋白结构，在整个花期表达水平较高。在忍冬中鉴定出 11 个与拟南芥 ABCDE 花器官身份决定模型同源的花同源 MADS 框基因。通过整合这些基因的表达模式和蛋白互作数据，我们构建了一个花器官身份决定的可能模型。
本研究全面鉴定和分析了忍冬中的 MADS 框基因家族。鉴定出 11 个花同源 MADS 框基因，并构建了花器官身份决定的可能模型。本研究有助于我们理解 MADS 框基因家族及其在忍冬花器官发育中的可能作用。
