Genome-Wide Identification and Analysis of the DGAT Gene Family in Lindera glauca and Expression Analysis during Fruit Development Stages

Abstract

Diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) is a vital and sole rate-limiting enzyme involved in triacylglycerol synthesis. Identifying DGAT genes in Lindera glauca is essential for studying lipid metabolism pathways and developing novel oil crops with enhanced value. In the study reported in this paper, 15 LgDGAT family genes were first obtained from the L. glauca genome via bioinformatics analysis. We comprehensively analyzed their chromosome distribution, gene structure, subcellular localization, promoter prediction, phylogenetic relationships, tissue-specific expression, and expression patterns during different stages of fruit development. Our findings revealed that LgDGATs can be classified into DGAT1, DGAT2, DGAT3, and WSD (wax ester synthase/acyl-CoA: diacylglycerol acyltransferase) subfamilies distributed across chromosome 3, 5, 6, 8 and 11. LgDGATs’ promoter region showed abundant elements linked to the light response and plant hormone response. Forms of LgDGAT1, LgDGAT2, and LgDGAT3 were primarily expressed in the early and late phases of fruit development, indicating their potential function in the growth and development of L. glauca, particularly in oil accumulation. Conversely, LgWSDs exhibited predominant expression in stems and leaves. This paper elucidates the gene structure and expression patterns of LgDGATs, providing a theoretical foundation for understanding the functionality of DGAT genes in Lindera species.