Molecular Characterization, Gene Evolution and Expression Analysis of the F-Box Gene Family in Tomato (<i>Solanum lycopersicum</i>)

• Main Authors: Fulei Mo, Nian Zhang, Youwen Qiu, Lingjun Meng, Mozhen Cheng, Jiayin Liu, Lanning Yao, Rui Lv, Yuxin Liu, Yao Zhang, Xiuling Chen, Aoxue Wang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-03-01
• Series: Genes
• Subjects: abiotic stresses; cis-elements; expression analysis; F-box; gene evolution; tomato
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/12/3/417

F-box genes play an important role in the growth and development of plants, but there are few studies on its role in a plant’s response to abiotic stresses. In order to further study the functions of F-box genes in tomato (<i>Solanum lycopersicum</i>, <i>Sl</i>), a total of 139 F-box genes were identified in the whole genome of tomato using bioinformatics methods, and the basic information, transcript structure, conserved motif, cis-elements, chromosomal location, gene evolution, phylogenetic relationship, expression patterns and the expression under cold stress, drought stress, jasmonic acid (JA) treatment and salicylic acid (SA) treatment were analyzed. The results showed that <i>SlFBX</i> genes were distributed on 12 chromosomes of tomato and were prone to TD (tandem duplication) at the ends of chromosomes. WGD (whole genome duplication), TD, PD (proximal duplication) and TRD (transposed duplication) modes seem play an important role in the expansion and evolution of tomato <i>SlFBX</i> genes. The most recent divergence occurred 1.3042 million years ago, between <i>SlFBX89</i> and <i>SlFBX103</i>. The cis-elements in <i>SlFBX</i> genes’ promoter regions were mainly responded to phytohormone and abiotic stress. Expression analysis based on transcriptome data and qRT-PCR (Real-time quantitative PCR) analysis of <i>SlFBX</i> genes showed that most <i>SlFBX</i> genes were differentially expressed under abiotic stress. <i>SlFBX24</i> was significantly up-regulated at 12 h under cold stress. This study reported the <i>SlFBX</i> gene family of tomato for the first time, providing a theoretical basis for the detailed study of <i>SlFBX</i> genes in the future, especially the function of <i>SlFBX</i> genes under abiotic stress.