Genome-wide identification, evolution, and expression analysis of RNA-binding glycine-rich protein family in Ammopiptanthus nanus

Abstract

Plant glycine-rich RNA-binding proteins (GRPs), which are composed of RNA recognition motif (RRM) and glycine-rich domains, participate in development and abiotic stress resistance. However, the GRP gene family in Ammopiptanthus nanus, an evergreen broad-leaved shrub native to northern desert in China, has not been systematically studied. In this study,19 AnRB-GRP gene family members were identified in A. nanus and divided into four subfamilies by phylogenetic and conservative motif analysis. Six out of nineteen AnRB-GRPs had undergone tandem duplication, which were clustered on chromosomes 3, 4 and 9, respectively. Synteny analysis was used to analyze the isogenic gene pairs of the AnRB-GRP gene family between A. nanus and three other species, suggesting that they descended from early dicotyledonous ancestors. Moreover, there are a large number of stresse and phytohormone responsive cis-acting elements in the AnRB-GRPs promoter regions. According to transcriptome data, the expression patterns of AnRB-GRPs revealed that these genes are involved in abiotic stress tolerance of A. nanus.