Identification, Systematic Evolution and Expression Analysis of PRMT Gene Family in Solanum lycopersicum

Abstract

Abstract Background Methylation is a chemical modification of DNA, histones, proteins and other molecules. Methylation on the Arginine residue of proteins is an irreversible modification after translation that takes involvement in a variety of crucial cellular activities in eukaryotes, for example, chromatin remodeling, transcriptional control, DNA repair, RNA processing, mRNA translation, protein interaction regulation, signal transduction, etc. Arg is methylated by a class of enzymes called protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs). To further understand the PRMT family genes in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), we carried out bioinformatical study for the purpose of describing SlPRMT genes. Results Here, we identified 9 PRMT genes in Solanum lycopersicum, and they were located on the 1st, 4th, 5th 6th, 7th, 8th and 12th chromosomes. Phylogenetic and evolutionary analysis indicated that one duplication event occurred between tomato chromosomes, and synteny conservation was quite high between tomato and potato. Many cis-regulatory elements existed in SlPRMT gene promoters, which were linked to abiotic stresses and hormonal responses, suggested the significance of these genes in the perception and transmission of diverse hormones and environmental signals by plants. According to the results of both public transcriptome data and our qPCR analysis, the majority of SlPRMT genes were able to expressing in various organs and developmental stages with different members having different expression patterns, and although most of them could adapt to heat and drought stress, distinct SlPRMT genes displayed unique response profiles. The results of the expression study suggested that SlPRMT genes might play multiple roles in the process of growth, development, and stress responses in plants. Conclusion Our study provided a comprehensive and systematic analysis of SlPRMT genes in tomato, which will be valuable for further identification of the functions of SlPRMTs in tomato.