In silico identification, characterization and expression profile of WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) gene family in Vanilla planifolia

Authors

  • Thiveyarajan Victorathisayam Department of Plant Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai 625 021, Tamil Nadu, India
  • Madhvi Kanchan Department of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160 014, India
  • ` Himani Department of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160 014, India
  • Thandullu R. Suriyanarayanan Centre of Excellence in Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Thiruchirappalli 620 024, Tamil Nadu, India
  • Jaspreet K. Sembi Department of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160 014, India
  • Thakku R. Ramkumar Department of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160 014, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.2020.7.2.722

Keywords:

Vanilla planifolia, WUSCHEL, WOX genes, Gene family characterization, Expression analysis

Abstract

Vanilla planifolia is an economically important orchid, which is being commercially exploited by the food industry for the highly valued secondary metabolite vanillin. WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) gene family encodes for WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) transcription factors that participate in embryogenesis, organogenesis and florigenesis and in diverse plant developmental processes as well. In the present study, we analysed V. planifolia transcriptome and identified 6 WOX (VpWOX) transcripts, that encode putative WOX (VpWOX) transcription factor proteins. Domain analysis was done which indicates the presence of helix-loop-helix-turn-helix which is identifying feature of WOX gene family proteins. We executed phylogenetic clustering for the VpWOX proteins with their counterpart from the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana (AtWOX) and other closely related orchid species, Phalaenopsis equestris (PeWOX), Dendrobium catenatum (DcWOX) and Apostasia shenzhenica (AsWOX) and established their clade specific grouping. Spatio-temporal expression profile for VpWOX genes was analysed for different plant developmental stages which shows that VpWOX13 is expressing uniformly in all the developmental stages whereas, other genes have tissue specific expression. Based on gene expression patterns, we selected four VpWOX proteins and carried out secondary and tertiary structural analysis which indicates the presence of alpha helix and beta turn in the protein structure. The present study provides basic understanding of the functioning of WOX gene family in V. planifolia and paves the path for functional characterization of selected VpWOX genes in planta and in heterologous system in future for commercial utilization.

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Published

18-04-2020

How to Cite

1.
Victorathisayam T, Kanchan M, Himani `, Suriyanarayanan TR, Sembi JK, Ramkumar TR. In silico identification, characterization and expression profile of WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) gene family in Vanilla planifolia. Plant Sci. Today [Internet]. 2020 Apr. 18 [cited 2024 May 10];7(2):206-13. Available from: https://horizonepublishing.com/journals/index.php/PST/article/view/722

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Section

Research Articles