Genome-Wide Identification of the Gene Family and Their Transcriptional Responses to Abiotic Stresses in Kiwifruit ().

IQM is a plant-specific calcium-binding protein that plays a pivotal role in various aspects of plant growth response to stressors. We investigated the gene family and its expression patterns under diverse abiotic stresses and conducted a comprehensive analysis and characterization of the , including protein structure, genomic location, phylogenetic relationships, gene expression profiles, salt tolerance, and expression patterns of this gene family under different abiotic stresses. Based on phylogenetic analysis, these 10 AeIQMs were classified into three distinct subfamilies (I-III). Analysis of the protein motifs revealed a considerable level of conservation among these AeIQM proteins within their respective subfamilies in kiwifruit. The genomic distribution of the 10 genes spanned across eight chromosomes, where four pairs of gene duplicates were associated with segmental duplication events. qRT-PCR analysis revealed diverse expression patterns of these genes under different hormone treatments, and most showed inducibility by salt stress. Further investigations indicated that overexpression of in yeast significantly enhanced salt tolerance. These findings suggest that genes might be involved in hormonal signal transduction and response to abiotic stress in . In summary, this study provides valuable insights into the physiological functions of in kiwifruit.