Identification and expression profiling of GAox gene family in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

Abstract Background GAox is a key enzyme involved in GA biosynthesis pathway and plays an important role in regulating various processes in plant life cycle. Results In this study, GAox gene family ( StGAox ) in potato was identified, and their physical and chemical properties, distribution on chromosomes, gene structure, conserved motifs, gene duplication events and expression patterns were analyzed. The results showed that a total of 33 GAox proteins were identified and unevenly distributed on 10 chromosomes. According to their protein structure and phylogenetic protein characteristics, these 33 StGAoxes were divided into 5 distinct subclasses. Collinearity analysis revealed that there were 5 pairs of duplicated genes in the StGAox gene family, and all these genes evolved under purifying selection. RNA-seq data of doubled monoploid (DM) potato in different tissues, under abiotic stresses and hormone treatments were used to screen tissue-specifically expressed StGAox genes, and those responded to abiotic stress and hormone treatments. In addition, StGAox genes that might respond to drought stress in drought-sensitive and drought-tolerant tetraploid potato cultivars was further analyzed based on RNA-seq data. Conclusions These results provided a theoretical basis for further understanding the function of GAox genes in potato.