Wen Shuangshuang, Ying Jiali, Ye Youju, Cai Yunfei, Li Lebin, Qian Renjuan
Zhejiang Institute of Subtropical Crops, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 334 Xueshan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325005, China.
Wenzhou Shenlu Seeds Co., Ltd, Wenzhou, 325005, China.
BMC Plant Biol. 2025 Jun 4;25(1):759. doi: 10.1186/s12870-025-06780-8.
The Aux/IAA gene family encodes proteins that are central to auxin signaling and plant growth regulation. While Asparagus officinalis is a globally cultivated crop valued for its edible shoots, medicinal uses, and economic significance, the specific regulatory mechanisms and stress-responsive functions of Aux/IAA genes in this species remain largely uncharacterized. Previous studies have demonstrated Aux/IAA involvement in abiotic stress responses, but their roles in A. officinalis have not been systematically investigated. This study fills this gap by identifying candidate Aux/IAA genes in A. officinalis and characterizing their expression dynamics under salt stress, providing insights into their potential contributions to stress resilience.
A comprehensive genome-wide analysis was conducted, revealing 17 Aux/IAA genes in A. officinalis. The results revealed that the AoIAA proteins featured a conserved Aux/IAA domain while demonstrating variability in their protein motif composition. Employing comparative genomics and evolutionary analyses, we classified the Aux/IAA genes into two major groups. Gene duplication analysis further identified two pairs of WGD/segmental duplication genes. The study of cis-regulatory elements in AoIAA gene promoters identified links to phytohormone signaling and abiotic stress responses. Additionally, the expression patterns of AoIAAs in A. officinalis differed among various tissues. The AoIAAs responded differently to salt treatment, notably with AoIAA1, AoIAA10, and AoIAA12 expression increasing alongside higher salt concentrations, highlighting their role in salt stress adaptation.
This study systematically characterized the Aux/IAA gene family in A. officinalis, highlighting their diversity and revealing structural and regulatory features. The findings provide a foundational resource for elucidating the biological functions and molecular mechanisms underlying Aux/IAA-mediated responses to salt stress and growth regulation in this species.
Aux/IAA基因家族编码的蛋白质是生长素信号传导和植物生长调节的核心。芦笋是一种全球种植的作物，因其可食用的嫩茎、药用价值和经济意义而受到重视，该物种中Aux/IAA基因的具体调控机制和应激反应功能在很大程度上仍未得到表征。先前的研究已经证明Aux/IAA参与非生物胁迫反应，但它们在芦笋中的作用尚未得到系统研究。本研究通过鉴定芦笋中的候选Aux/IAA基因并表征它们在盐胁迫下的表达动态，填补了这一空白，为它们对胁迫恢复力的潜在贡献提供了见解。
进行了全面的全基因组分析，揭示了芦笋中有17个Aux/IAA基因。结果表明，AoIAA蛋白具有保守的Aux/IAA结构域，同时其蛋白质基序组成存在差异。通过比较基因组学和进化分析，我们将Aux/IAA基因分为两个主要组。基因重复分析进一步鉴定出两对全基因组复制/片段重复基因。对AoIAA基因启动子中的顺式调控元件的研究确定了与植物激素信号传导和非生物胁迫反应的联系。此外，AoIAA在芦笋不同组织中的表达模式不同。AoIAA对盐处理的反应不同，特别是AoIAA1、AoIAA10和AoIAA12的表达随着盐浓度的升高而增加，突出了它们在盐胁迫适应中的作用。
本研究系统地表征了芦笋中的Aux/IAA基因家族，突出了它们的多样性，并揭示了结构和调控特征。这些发现为阐明该物种中Aux/IAA介导的盐胁迫反应和生长调节的生物学功能和分子机制提供了基础资源。
