Genome-Wide Identification and Analysis of the Gene Family in Pepper ( L.).

() genes play critical roles in chromatin remodeling and gene transcription regulation, profoundly influencing plant growth, development, and stress responses. While genes have been extensively characterized in multiple plant species, their biological functions in pepper ( L.) remain largely uncharacterized. In this study, we identified 45 genes in the pepper genome through bioinformatics approaches. Comprehensive analyses were conducted to examine their chromosomal distribution, phylogenetic relationships, and the structural and functional features of their encoded proteins. Phylogenetic clustering classified the CaAHL proteins into six distinct subgroups. Transcriptome profiling revealed widespread expression of genes across diverse tissues-including roots, stems, leaves, flowers, seeds, pericarp, placenta, and fruits-at various developmental stages. Quantitative real-time PCR further demonstrated that , , and exhibited consistently high expression throughout flower bud development, whereas showed preferential upregulation at early bud development stages. Expression profiling under hormone treatments and abiotic stresses indicated that and are auxin-inducible but are repressed by ABA, cold, heat, salt, and drought stress. Subcellular localization assays in leaf epidermal cells showed that both CaAHL36 and CaAHL23 were predominantly localized in the nucleus, with faint expression also detected in the cytoplasm. Collectively, this study provides foundational insights into the gene family, laying the groundwork for future functional investigations of these genes in pepper.