Scholarlink

Background <p>Expansins (EXPs) are non-enzymatic proteins that mediate cell wall loosening and play essential roles in plant growth, development, and stress responses. However, the expansin gene family in <i>Sorghum bicolor</i> remains insufficiently characterized.</p> Results <p>In this study, we identified 68 expansin genes in <i>S. bicolor</i> (<i>SbEXPs</i>), predominantly belonging to the EXPA and EXPB subfamilies. Structural and evolutionary characterization revealed conserved domain organization, with gene family expansion likely driven by tandem and segmental duplications. Regulatory analysis revealed diverse cis-regulatory elements and predicted interactions with transcription factors, miRNAs, and protein-protein interaction partners, indicating multi-layered regulatory control. Network analysis further identified key genes, including <i>SbEXPA17</i>,<i> SbEXPB1</i>, and <i>SbEXPB2</i>, as potential central nodes. Expression profiling demonstrated distinct tissue-specific patterns, with many <i>SbEXP</i> genes highly expressed in roots and other actively growing tissues. Under drought conditions, RNA-seq data revealed differential expression of several <i>SbEXP</i> genes, with a subset consistently upregulated. These patterns were validated by qRT-PCR, confirming strong induction of genes such as <i>SbEXPA17</i>,<i> SbEXPB6</i>, and <i>SbEXPB8</i> under PEG-simulated drought stress.</p> Conclusion <p>This study provides a comprehensive characterization of the expansin gene family in <i>S. bicolor</i> and suggests their potential involvement in drought response through modulation of cell wall dynamics. These findings offer a foundation for future functional studies and the development of drought-resilient sorghum varieties.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Genome-wide characterization of the expansin gene family in Sorghum bicolor reveals their regulatory features and roles in drought response

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月30日

查看全文
  • Hameed Gul,
  • Shareef Gul,
  • Muhammad Usama,
  • Sumit Singh,
  • Muhammad Ibrahim,
  • Ali Shahzad

摘要

Background

Expansins (EXPs) are non-enzymatic proteins that mediate cell wall loosening and play essential roles in plant growth, development, and stress responses. However, the expansin gene family in Sorghum bicolor remains insufficiently characterized.

Results

In this study, we identified 68 expansin genes in S. bicolor (SbEXPs), predominantly belonging to the EXPA and EXPB subfamilies. Structural and evolutionary characterization revealed conserved domain organization, with gene family expansion likely driven by tandem and segmental duplications. Regulatory analysis revealed diverse cis-regulatory elements and predicted interactions with transcription factors, miRNAs, and protein-protein interaction partners, indicating multi-layered regulatory control. Network analysis further identified key genes, including SbEXPA17, SbEXPB1, and SbEXPB2, as potential central nodes. Expression profiling demonstrated distinct tissue-specific patterns, with many SbEXP genes highly expressed in roots and other actively growing tissues. Under drought conditions, RNA-seq data revealed differential expression of several SbEXP genes, with a subset consistently upregulated. These patterns were validated by qRT-PCR, confirming strong induction of genes such as SbEXPA17, SbEXPB6, and SbEXPB8 under PEG-simulated drought stress.

Conclusion

This study provides a comprehensive characterization of the expansin gene family in S. bicolor and suggests their potential involvement in drought response through modulation of cell wall dynamics. These findings offer a foundation for future functional studies and the development of drought-resilient sorghum varieties.