Genome-wide identification of candidate aquaporins involved in water accumulation of pomegranate outer seed coat
Jianjian Liu,
Gaihua Qin,
Chunyan Liu,
Xiuli Liu,
Jie Zhou,
Jiyu Li,
Bingxin Lu,
Jianrong Zhao
Affiliations
Jianjian Liu
College of Resource and Environment, Anhui Science and Technology University, Fengyang, China
Gaihua Qin
Institute of Horticultural Research (Key Laboratory of Genetic Improvement and Ecophysiology of Horticultural Crop, Anhui Province), Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei, China
Chunyan Liu
Institute of Horticultural Research (Key Laboratory of Genetic Improvement and Ecophysiology of Horticultural Crop, Anhui Province), Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei, China
Xiuli Liu
State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
Jie Zhou
State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
Jiyu Li
Institute of Horticultural Research (Key Laboratory of Genetic Improvement and Ecophysiology of Horticultural Crop, Anhui Province), Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei, China
Bingxin Lu
College of Resource and Environment, Anhui Science and Technology University, Fengyang, China
Jianrong Zhao
College of Resource and Environment, Anhui Science and Technology University, Fengyang, China
Aquaporins (AQPs) are a class of highly conserved integral membrane proteins that facilitate the uptake and transport of water and other small molecules across cell membranes. However, little is known about AQP genes in pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) and their potential role in water accumulation of the outer seed coat. We identified 38 PgrAQP genes in the pomegranate genome and divided them into five subfamilies based on a comparative analysis. Purifying selection played a role in the evolution of PgrAQP genes and a whole-genome duplication event in Myrtales may have contributed to the expansion of PgrTIP, PgrSIP, and PgrXIP genes. Transcriptome data analysis revealed that the PgrAQP genes exhibited different tissue-specific expression patterns. Among them, the transcript abundance of PgrPIPs were significantly higher than that of other subfamilies. The mRNA transcription levels of PgrPIP1.3, PgrPIP2.8, and PgrSIP1.2 showed a significant linear relationship with water accumulation in seed coats, indicating that PgrPIP1.3/PgrPIP2.8 located in the plasma membrane and PgrSIP1.2 proteins located on the tonoplast may be involved in water accumulation and contribute to the cell expansion of the outer seed coat, which then develops into juicy edible flesh. Overall, our results provided not only information on the characteristics and evolution of PgrAQPs, but also insights on the genetic improvement of outer seed coats.
