Genome-Wide Analysis and Expression of Cyclic Nucleotide–Gated Ion Channel (CNGC) Family Genes under Cold Stress in Mango (Mangifera indica)

Abstract

The ‘king of fruits’ mango (Mangifera indica) is widely cultivated in tropical areas and has been threatened by frequent extreme cold weather. Cyclic nucleotide–gated ion channel (CNGC) genes have an important function in the calcium-mediated development and cold response of plants. However, few CNGC-related studies are reported in mango, regardless of the mango cold stress response. In this study, we identified 43 CNGC genes in mango showing tissue-specific expression patterns. Five MiCNGCs display more than 3-fold gene expression induction in the fruit peel and leaf under cold stress. Among these, MiCNGC9 and MiCNGC13 are significantly upregulated below 6 °C, suggesting their candidate functions under cold stress. Furthermore, cell membrane integrity was damaged at 2 °C in the mango leaf, as shown by the content of malondialdehyde (MDA), and eight MiCNGCs are positively correlated with MDA contents. The high correlation between MiCNGCs and MDA implies MiCNGCs might regulate cell membrane integrity by regulating MDA content. Together, these findings provide a valuable guideline for the functional characterization of CNGC genes and will benefit future studies related to cold stress and calcium transport in mango.