Evaluation of seven gene loci from the WRKY gene family in Butia (Becc.) Becc. species (Arecaceae) for future phylogenetic inference

The WRKY genes belong to a family of transcriptional proteins that have been useful in the phylogenetic inference of plants, especially for representatives of the Arecaceae. This study aimed to expand the molecular data for species of the genus Butia (Arecaceae), through the WRKY2, WRKY6, WRKY7, WRKY12, WRKY16, WRKY19, and WRKY21 gene markers, using the species Butia odorata (Barb.Rodr.) Noblick, Butia lallemantii Deble & Marchiori, Butia buenopolensis Sant’Anna-Santos, and Butia exilata Deble & Marchiori. We obtained positive results in the amplifications for the gene regions of interest for WRKY6, WRKY7, and WRKY21 for the three individuals evaluated for the four species. For the WRKY2 gene, we only obtained amplifications from the individuals of the B. buenopolensis. The WRKY16 gene amplified for all species, except B. buenopolensis. On the other hand, the WRKY12 and WRKY19 gene regions did not amplify for any of the individuals evaluated from the four species included in this study. With this work, we aimed to expand the molecular data of species belonging to the Butia genus, in order to infer the molecular phylogeny of species that occur naturally in Brazil in the future.