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Background <p><i>Polygala tenuifolia</i> Willd. (<i>P. tenuifolia</i>) is one of the source plants of the traditional Chinese medicine ‘Yuanzhi’ and is widely used in clinical practice. As a meso-xerophytic medicinal plant with strong environmental adaptability, it is listed as a nationally protected wild medicinal species in China. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying its drought tolerance remain unclear. Therefore, a genome-wide identification of the ERF subfamily in&#xa0;<i>P. tenuifolia</i>&#xa0;was conducted to provide candidate genes for drought adaptation research and functional validation.</p> Results <p>Ethylene-responsive factors (ERFs) play important roles in plant responses to drought stress. In this study, 78 <i>PtERF</i> genes were systematically identified for the first time in <i>P. tenuifolia</i>. Phylogenetic analysis classified these genes into five subgroups (B1–B5), with members within the same subgroup exhibiting similar gene structures and conserved motifs. Collinearity analysis revealed that segmental duplication was the primary driving force&#xa0;underlying <i>PtERF</i> family evolution. <i>Cis-</i><i>acting</i> element analysis revealed that <i>PtERF</i> promoter regions were enriched with drought-responsive <i>cis</i>-elements, including abscisic acid and methyl jasmonate (MeJA)-responsive elements. Transcriptome analysis combined with RT-qPCR verification identified five core drought-responsive genes, among which <i>PtERF33</i> expression exhibited the highest level of upregulation. Further investigation showed that <i>PtERF33</i> produced two alternatively spliced transcripts: the full-length <i>PtERF33.1</i> transcript and the intron-retained <i>PtERF33.2</i> transcript. These two transcripts exhibited opposite expression patterns under drought stress, suggesting that they may regulate drought responses through functional antagonism.</p> Conclusions <p>These findings provide a systematic basis for identifying drought-resistant ERF genes in <i>P. tenuifolia</i> and establish a foundation for clarifying the role of alternative splicing in drought adaptation in this species.</p>

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Genome-wide identification and expression profiling of the ERF subfamily in Polygala tenuifolia seedlings under drought stress

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月29日

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  • Yujiao Sun,
  • Dilare Tuohetuohuli,
  • Jing Liu,
  • Qianqian Wang,
  • Zenghui Wang,
  • Shanrong Han,
  • Hong Zhang,
  • Qi Xie,
  • Yanjun Li,
  • Shuai Liu

摘要

Background

Polygala tenuifolia Willd. (P. tenuifolia) is one of the source plants of the traditional Chinese medicine ‘Yuanzhi’ and is widely used in clinical practice. As a meso-xerophytic medicinal plant with strong environmental adaptability, it is listed as a nationally protected wild medicinal species in China. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying its drought tolerance remain unclear. Therefore, a genome-wide identification of the ERF subfamily in P. tenuifolia was conducted to provide candidate genes for drought adaptation research and functional validation.

Results

Ethylene-responsive factors (ERFs) play important roles in plant responses to drought stress. In this study, 78 PtERF genes were systematically identified for the first time in P. tenuifolia. Phylogenetic analysis classified these genes into five subgroups (B1–B5), with members within the same subgroup exhibiting similar gene structures and conserved motifs. Collinearity analysis revealed that segmental duplication was the primary driving force underlying PtERF family evolution. Cis-acting element analysis revealed that PtERF promoter regions were enriched with drought-responsive cis-elements, including abscisic acid and methyl jasmonate (MeJA)-responsive elements. Transcriptome analysis combined with RT-qPCR verification identified five core drought-responsive genes, among which PtERF33 expression exhibited the highest level of upregulation. Further investigation showed that PtERF33 produced two alternatively spliced transcripts: the full-length PtERF33.1 transcript and the intron-retained PtERF33.2 transcript. These two transcripts exhibited opposite expression patterns under drought stress, suggesting that they may regulate drought responses through functional antagonism.

Conclusions

These findings provide a systematic basis for identifying drought-resistant ERF genes in P. tenuifolia and establish a foundation for clarifying the role of alternative splicing in drought adaptation in this species.