Liu Jiaxuan, Silaiyiman Saimire, Wu Jiaxin, Ouyang Lejun, Cao Zheng, Shen Chao
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Green Agricultural Production and Intelligent Equipment, College of Biological and Food Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming 525000, China.
College of Life and Geographic Sciences, Kashi University, Kashi 844000, China.
Plants (Basel). 2025 May 13;14(10):1453. doi: 10.3390/plants14101453.
, a crucial tropical and subtropical fruit tree in southern China, is widely appreciated for its distinctive flavor, high nutritional value, and significant economic impact. The bZIP (basic leucine zipper) gene family plays an essential role in regulating key biological functions during plant growth and development. In this study, we performed a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of the bZIP gene family in litchi to systematically elucidate its molecular characteristics and functional properties. A total of 55 bZIP gene family members were identified, with the encoded proteins containing between 129 and 845 amino acid residues and theoretical isoelectric points (pI) ranging from 4.85 to 10.23. Protein-protein interaction network analysis revealed that 46 proteins exhibited interaction relationships. Phylogenetic analysis classified these genes into 13 distinct subgroups (A-K, M, and S). Chromosomal localization analysis indicated that bZIP gene family members were successfully mapped to 15 chromosomes. Intraspecific collinearity analysis identified 39 segmental duplication events, while interspecific and single-gene collinearity analyses suggested evolutionary conservation, with only a few genes exhibiting duplication or loss events. Cis-acting element analysis revealed a total of 213 elements associated with growth and development, which may play an important role in fruit development regulation. The results of differential gene expression, related to fruit development across different cultivars, tissues, and flowering stages, combined with qRT-PCR validation, suggest that and may be involved in the early regulation of fruit development, while may play a regulatory role during the later stages of fruit development. These findings provide a strong theoretical foundation for understanding the roles of bZIP genes in litchi fruit growth and development, and lay the groundwork for further functional studies. This study has potential application value in litchi fruit development and genetic improvement.
荔枝是中国南方一种重要的热带和亚热带果树，因其独特的风味、高营养价值和重大的经济影响而广受赞誉。bZIP（碱性亮氨酸拉链）基因家族在植物生长发育过程中调节关键生物学功能方面起着至关重要的作用。在本研究中，我们对荔枝的bZIP基因家族进行了全面的生物信息学分析，以系统地阐明其分子特征和功能特性。共鉴定出55个bZIP基因家族成员，其编码的蛋白质含有129至845个氨基酸残基，理论等电点（pI）范围为4.85至10.23。蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用网络分析表明，46种蛋白质表现出相互作用关系。系统发育分析将这些基因分为13个不同的亚组（A-K、M和S）。染色体定位分析表明，bZIP基因家族成员成功定位到15条染色体上。种内共线性分析确定了39个片段重复事件，而种间和单基因共线性分析表明进化保守，只有少数基因出现重复或缺失事件。顺式作用元件分析共鉴定出213个与生长发育相关的元件，这些元件可能在果实发育调控中发挥重要作用。与不同品种、组织和开花阶段的果实发育相关的差异基因表达结果，结合qRT-PCR验证，表明[具体基因1]和[具体基因2]可能参与果实发育的早期调控，而[具体基因3]可能在果实发育后期发挥调控作用。这些发现为理解bZIP基因在荔枝果实生长发育中的作用提供了坚实的理论基础，并为进一步的功能研究奠定了基础。本研究在荔枝果实发育和遗传改良方面具有潜在的应用价值。
