Comprehensive comparative analysis and expression profiles and effects on physiological response of DEAD-box RNA helicase genes in Lumnitzera littorea (Jack) Voigt under cold stress

ABSTRACT The DEAD-box family has been shown to play an important role in a variety of abiotic stresses, but little is known in studies of mangrove plants. Here, the effects of cold stress on various physiological changes and the role of the DEAD-box RNA helicase family in response to cold stress were determined. First, we identified 73 DEAD-box RNA helicase family members in L. littorea. Second, the evolutionary relationships between the DEAD family in L. littorea and the model species Arabidopsis thaliana were investigated by evolutionary phylogenetic analysis. Finally, qRT-PCR study of representative DEAD-box genes showed that DEAD-box genes played a major role in the low-temperature stress response of L. littorea. Furthermore, we found that LlDEAD48, LlDEAD36, and LlDEAD47 might be involved in the maintenance of chlorophyll function, and LlDEAD43 might play a role in the maintenance of mitochondrial function in L. littorea under cold stress.