Comprehensive Genomic Analysis of Trihelix Family in Tea Plant (<i>Camellia sinensis</i>) and Their Putative Roles in Osmotic Stress
Zhuoliang Lang,
Zelong Xu,
Linying Li,
Yuqing He,
Yao Zhao,
Chi Zhang,
Gaojie Hong,
Xueying Zhang
Affiliations
Zhuoliang Lang
College of Tea Science and Tea Culture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
Zelong Xu
State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Virology and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
Linying Li
State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Virology and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
Yuqing He
State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Virology and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
Yao Zhao
State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Virology and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
Chi Zhang
State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Virology and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
Gaojie Hong
College of Tea Science and Tea Culture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
Xueying Zhang
State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Virology and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
In plants, Trihelix transcription factors are responsible for regulating growth, development, and reaction to various abiotic stresses. However, their functions in tea plants are not yet fully understood. This study identified a total of 40 complete Trihelix genes in the tea plant genome, which are classified into five clades: GT-1 (5 genes), GT-2 (8 genes), GTγ (2 genes), SH4 (7 genes), and SIP1 (18 genes). The same subfamily exhibits similar gene structures and functional domains. Chromosomal mapping analysis revealed that chromosome 2 has the most significant number of trihelix family members. Promoter analysis identified cis-acting elements in C. sinensis trihelix (CsTH), indicating their potential to respond to various phytohormones and stresses. The expression analysis of eight representative CsTH genes from four subfamilies showed that all CsTHs were expressed in more tissues, and three CsTHs were significantly induced under ABA, NaCl, and drought stress. This suggests that CsTHs plays an essential role in tea plant growth, development, and response to osmotic stress. Furthermore, yeast strains have preliminarily proven that CsTH28, CsTH36, and CsTH39 can confer salt and drought tolerance. Our study provides insights into the phylogenetic relationships and functions of the trihelix transcription factors in tea plants. It also presents new candidate genes for stress-tolerance breeding.
