Identification and Expression Analysis of the TALE Gene Family Across the Genome of Tree Peony (Paeonia ostii)
Huiyun Li*, Caimin Kuang, Zixin Liu, Yujian Song, Xue Guo, Jinbo Li, Yanzhao Zhang*
College of Life Science, Luoyang Normal University, Luoyang, China
* Corresponding Author: Huiyun Li. Email: 
; Yanzhao Zhang. Email: 
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2026.087331
Received 15 June 2026; Accepted 25 August 2026; Published online 09 September 2026
Abstract
TALE transcription factors are essential for plant growth, development, and abiotic stress responses. In
P. ostii, a species of high ornamental and economic value, heat and drought stress severely limit productivity, yet systematic identification of the TALE family has been lacking. Here, 30 TALE transcription factors were identified via bioinformatics, with protein lengths of 89–774 aa and molecular weights (Mws) of 10,182.91 Da–84,550.84 Da. Comprehensive analyses covered physicochemical properties, phylogenetics, chromosomal localization, promoter
cis-elements, conserved motifs, synteny, and tissue-specific expression. Based on homeodomain features, genes were classified into KNOX and BELL subfamilies, with similar structural features within each subfamily. All PoTALE proteins were predicted to be nuclear-localized. Genes were unevenly distributed across five chromosomes, enriched on chromosome 1. Additionally,
PoTALE-25 and
PoTALE-10 were mapped to uncharacterized scaffolds 3 and 2294, respectively. Promoter analysis revealed
cis-elements related to development, hormones, and abiotic stress, suggesting roles in stress adaptation and development. Intron numbers varied: 15 genes had 1–4 introns, and 15 had 5–15 introns. Collinearity analysis showed 12 homologous pairs between
P. ostii and each of
P. ludlowii,
S. lycopersicum, and
S. tuberosum, versus 6 with
A. thaliana and 1 with
O. sativa, consistent with higher syntenic retention among dicots. The highest retention between the two peony species reflects their closest phylogenetic relationship. Tissue-specific expression profiling revealed pronounced transcript accumulation in leaves, pink and red petals, pistils, seeds, shoots, and flower spots, with the highest levels in leaves, petals, and spots. Among these,
PoTALE-3,
PoTALE-14, and
PoTALE-15 were prioritized as candidates for functional studies on spot formation and vegetative organ development. Collectively, these findings highlight the functional diversity of the PoTALE family and its potential involvement in stress responses and developmental regulation.
Keywords
Tree peony; TALE gene family; KNOX; BELL; bioinformatics
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