Feng Zhenbao, Admas Tayachew, Cheng Bingyun, Meng Yutong, Pan Rui, Zhang Wenying
Research Center of Crop Stresses Resistance Technologies, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, 434025 China.
Physiol Mol Biol Plants. 2024 Aug;30(8):1225-1238. doi: 10.1007/s12298-024-01487-w. Epub 2024 Jul 30.
Drought stress poses a significant threat to global agriculture, highlighting the urgent need to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying plant drought tolerance. The UDP-glycosyltransferase (UGT) gene family plays crucial roles in diverse biological processes in plants. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of the UGT gene family in wild barley EC_S1, focusing on gene characteristics, subcellular localization, phylogenetic relationships, and protein structure. A total of 175 UGT gene family members were identified, exhibiting diverse patterns in protein length, molecular weight, isoelectric point, hydrophilicity, and subcellular localization. Most genes are located at chromosome ends. Phylogenetic analysis grouped the UGT genes into seven clusters, with barley-specific group E. Expression analysis across barley tissues showed upregulation in roots and senescent leaves, implying diverse roles. Under drought stress, expression patterns varied, with drought-tolerant varieties showing fewer changes than sensitive ones. Clustering analysis revealed distinct expression patterns, suggesting regulatory functions in barley's drought response. As a case, the was cloned. Overexpression of in Arabidopsis enhanced drought tolerance, with increased water retention, reduced cell damage, and elevated flavonoid levels. Conversely, silencing in wild barley decreased drought tolerance, accompanied by reduced antioxidant enzyme activity and flavonoid content. These results highlight 's importance in enhancing plant drought tolerance, possibly through flavonoid-mediated ROS clearance. The research provides gene resources and valuable insights for the development of drought-resistant crops through targeted genetic manipulation strategies.
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-024-01487-w.
干旱胁迫对全球农业构成重大威胁，凸显了阐明植物耐旱性潜在分子机制的迫切需求。UDP-糖基转移酶（UGT）基因家族在植物的多种生物学过程中发挥着关键作用。在本研究中，我们对野生大麦EC_S1中的UGT基因家族进行了全面分析，重点关注基因特征、亚细胞定位、系统发育关系和蛋白质结构。共鉴定出175个UGT基因家族成员，它们在蛋白质长度、分子量、等电点、亲水性和亚细胞定位方面呈现出多样化的模式。大多数基因位于染色体末端。系统发育分析将UGT基因分为七个簇，其中有大麦特有的E组。对大麦不同组织的表达分析表明，根和衰老叶片中基因上调，这意味着其具有多种功能。在干旱胁迫下，表达模式有所不同，耐旱品种的变化比敏感品种少。聚类分析揭示了不同的表达模式，表明其在大麦干旱响应中具有调控功能。作为一个实例，克隆了[具体基因名称未给出]。在拟南芥中过表达[具体基因名称未给出]可增强耐旱性，表现为保水能力增强、细胞损伤减少和类黄酮水平升高。相反，在野生大麦中沉默[具体基因名称未给出]会降低耐旱性，同时伴随着抗氧化酶活性和类黄酮含量的降低。这些结果突出了[具体基因名称未给出]在增强植物耐旱性方面的重要性，可能是通过类黄酮介导的活性氧清除作用。该研究为通过靶向基因操作策略培育抗旱作物提供了基因资源和有价值的见解。
在线版本包含可在10.1007/s12298-024-01487-w获取的补充材料。
