Wenxiang Zhang^1,2, Wenning Cui¹, Juan Huang³, Zhangen Lu¹, Kuijing Liang¹, Lingbao Wang^1,2, Shanshan Wei^1,2, Liran Shi¹, Huifen Li¹, Xiaoli Guo^1,2,*, Jianhui Ma^4,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.12, pp. 3893-3912, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.073736 - 29 December 2025

Abstract UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) play essential roles in plant secondary metabolism and stress responses, yet their composition and functions in Sorghum bicolor, a model C4 plant, remain inadequately characterized. This study identified 196 SbUGT genes distributed across all 10 chromosomes and classified them into 16 subfamilies (A–P) through phylogenetic analysis. Among these, 61.2% were intronless, and 10 conserved motifs, including the UGT-specific PSPG box, were identified. Synteny analysis using MCScanX revealed 12 segmental duplication events and conserved syntenic relationships with other Poaceae species (rice, maize, and barley). Promoter analysis uncovered 125 distinct cis-acting elements, predominantly associated with stress and… More >

Abdil Hakan Eren^*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.10, pp. 3085-3107, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.069506 - 29 October 2025

Abstract The FAR1-related sequence (FAR1) gene family consists of transcription factors that originated from transposases and is crucial for light signaling and stress adaptation in plants. Despite the recognized importance of FAR1 genes in model organisms, their genomic architecture, structural variability, and expression patterns in Phaseolus vulgaris have yet to be investigated. This study offers the inaugural comprehensive genome-wide identification and characterization of the FAR1 gene family in P. vulgaris. A total of 27 PvulFAR1 genes were identified, and their chromosomal distribution, gene structures, conserved domains, and phylogenetic relationships were analyzed systematically. The promoter regions of these genes were discovered… More >

Zhong Ren^1,2,3,#, Shuiming Zhang^1,#, Yuzhi Fei¹, Zhu Chen³, Yue Zhao³, Xin Meng³, Hongfei Zhao^2,*, Jie Ren^3,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.9, pp. 2927-2947, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.067310 - 30 September 2025

Abstract Acer paxii belongs to the evergreen species of Acer, but it exhibits a unique feature of reddish leaves in fall in subtropical regions. Although the association of AP2/ERF transcription factors with color change has been well-documented in prior research, molecular investigations focusing on AP2/ERF remain notably lacking in Acer paxii. This research focuses on performing an extensive genome-wide investigation to identify and characterize the AP2/ERF gene family in Acer paxii. As a result, 123 ApAP2/ERFs were obtained. Phylogenetic analyses categorized the ApAP2/ERF family members into 15 subfamilies. The evolutionary traits of the ApAP2/ERFs were investigated by analyzing their… More >

Mengjie Xu, Anbin Wang, Tonghong Zuo, Hecui Zhang, Zhihao Hu, Liquan Zhu^*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.1, pp. 157-179, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.060566 - 24 January 2025

Abstract Calmodulin-like (CMLs) proteins are critical in calcium signaling and essential for plant growth, development, and stress responses. In many species, the CMLs families have been identified and described. However, the characterization and expression profiling of CMLs genes in tobacco is retrievable. In this study, a comprehensive whole-genome identification and analysis, and 75 NtCML genes were identified in tobacco, each containing two to four EF-hand domains. Most NtCML proteins exhibited conserved gene structures and motifs. Notably, most NtCML proteins were intron-less and distributed across 18 chromosomes. Two pairs of tandemly duplicated genes and seven pairs of segmentally More >

Yuan Wang¹, Tianle Zhang¹, Xinfeng Zeng¹, Jiale Liu¹, Siyu Li¹, Siyu Yang¹, Shengnan Zhao¹, Abdullah Shah², Muhammad Saif Ullah², Guohui Qi^1,*, Peng Jia^1,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.12, pp. 3331-3346, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.059402 - 31 December 2024

Abstract LONELY GUY (LOG) is a pivotal cytokinin-activating enzyme that plays an important role in plant growth, development, and stress responses. Walnut (Juglans regia), an important woody oilseed species, has not yet undergone systematic identification of its LOG gene family. In this study, we identified 17 JrLOG genes in the walnut genome, which are unevenly distributed across 11 chromosomes. JrLOG gene expansion was primarily driven by gene duplication, along with purifying selection. Members of the JrLOG family were categorized into five groups, each exhibiting analogous gene structures, featured motifs, and conserved domains. Transcriptome and quantitative real-time PCR analyses More >

Abdil Hakan Eren^*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.11, pp. 2883-2907, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.058627 - 30 November 2024

Abstract Background: Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) genes constitute an important family of supergenes that play key roles in synthesizing various biomolecules and maintaining cellular homeostasis by catalyzing the oxidation of aldehyde products. With climate change increasing the exposure of plants to abiotic stresses such as salt and drought, ALDH genes have been identified as important contributors to stress tolerance. In particular, they help to reduce stress-induced lipid peroxidation. Objectives: This study aims to identify and characterize members of the ALDH supergene family in Phaseolus vulgaris through a genome-wide bioinformatic analysis and investigate their role in response to abiotic stressors such… More >

Guanpeng Huang^1,#, Ti Wu^1,2,#, Yinjie Zheng³, Qiyun Gu², Qiaobin Chen², Shoukai Lin^2,*, Jincheng Wu^2,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.11, pp. 2715-2735, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.056484 - 30 November 2024

Abstract Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.), a rare fruit native to China, has a long history of cultivation in China. Low temperature is the key factor restricting loquat growth and severely affects yield. Low temperature induces the regeneration and metabolism of reduced glutathione (GSH) to alleviate stress damage via the participation of glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) in plants. In this study, 16 GSTs were identified from the loquat genome according to their protein sequence similarity with Arabidopsis GSTs. On the basis of domain characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of AtGSTs, these EjGSTs can be divided into 4 subclasses: Phi, Theta, Tau… More >

Zhenbing Qiao^1,2, Mengyun Chen^1,2, Wenjun Ma^1,2, Juan Zhao^1,2, Jiaju Zhu^1,2, Kaikai Zhu^1,2, Pengpeng Tan^1,2, Fangren Peng^1,2,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.9, pp. 2349-2365, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.056655 - 30 September 2024

Abstract Ammonium nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N) is one of the main forms of nitrogen absorbed and utilized by plants, and mastering the regulatory mechanism of plant ammonium assimilation is a key way to improve the efficiency of plant nitrogen utilization. Glutamine synthetase (GS) and glutamate synthase (GOGAT), two key enzymes for ammonium assimilation, have rarely been studied in pecan. In this study, GS and GOGAT family members of pecan were identified and analyzed using bioinformatics methods. The results indicated that 6 GS and 4 GOGAT genes were identified. The cis-acting elements can be broadly categorized into light-responsive, hormone-responsive, and stress-responsive elements.… More >

Dongxue Su¹, Jiarui Zheng¹, Yuwei Yi¹, Shuyuan Zhang¹, Luxin Feng¹, Danzeng Quzhen², De Qiong³, Weiwei Zhang¹, Qijian Wang¹, Feng Xu^1,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.9, pp. 2317-2337, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.055350 - 30 September 2024

Abstract The multifaceted roles of MYB transcriptional regulators are pivotal in orchestrating the complex processes of secondary metabolism, stress tolerance mechanisms, and life cycle progression and development. This study extensively examined the JrMYB genes using whole genome and transcriptomic data, focusing on identifying putative MYB genes associated with fatty acid metabolism. 126 MYB genes were identified within the walnut genome, characterized by hydrophilic proteins spanning lengths ranging from 78 to 1890 base pairs. Analysis of cis-acting elements within the promoter regions of MYB genes revealed many elements linked to cell development, environmental stress, and phytohormones. Transcriptomic data was utilized… More > Graphic Abstract

Mingyuan Luo¹, Shiyu Tian¹, Xinzhuan Yao², Yue Wan⁴, Zhouzhuoer Chen¹, Zifan Yang⁴, Huagen Hao⁴, Fei Liu³, Hu Tang^1,2,*, Litang Lu^1,2,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.8, pp. 2019-2036, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.052938 - 30 August 2024

Abstract The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter is a gene superfamily in plants. ATP-binding cassette subfamily C (ABCC) protein is a multidrug resistance-associated (MRP) transporter. They play various roles in plant growth, development, and secondary metabolite transport. However, there are few studies on ABCC transporters in tea plants. In this study, genome-wide association study (GWAS) analysis of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) content in 108 strains of Kingbird revealed that CsABCCs may be involved in EGCG transport. We identified 25 CsABCC genes at the genomic level of the tea plant, their phylogenetic tree, gene structure, targeted miRNA and other bioinformatics… More >