Genome-Wide Identification of the Gene Family and Functional Characterization of in .

The gene family is crucial for regulating plant growth and development. However, the gene is rarely studied in naked kernel formation in hull-less L. (HLCP), a natural mutant that lacks the seed coat. In this research, 76 genes were identified through bioinformatics-based methods in , and their phylogenetics, conserved motifs, synteny, collinearity, and temporal expression during seed coat development were analyzed. The results showed that 76 were identified and categorized into three main groups (I-III), with Group II further divided into five subgroups (IIa-IIe). Moreover, 31 segmental duplication events were identified in 49 genes. A synteny analysis revealed that shared more collinear regions with cucumber than with melon. Furthermore, quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) results indicated the differential expression of across different varieties, with notable variations in seed coat development between HLCP and CP being attributed to differences in expression. To investigate this further, -overexpression tobacco plants were generated, resulting in increased lignin content and an upregulation of related genes, as confirmed by qRT-PCR. This study offers valuable insights for future functional investigations of genes and presents novel information for understanding the regulation mechanism of lignin synthesis.