Comprehensive analysis of the Aquaporin genes inEucalyptus grandissuggests potential targets for drought stress tolerance

Abstract

AbstractThis study delves into the comprehensive analysis ofAQPgenes inEucalyptus grandis, providing insights into their genomic abundance, diversification, expression patterns across tissues, and responses to drought stress. We identified 53AQPgenes in theEucalyptus grandisgenome, categorized into four subfamilies:AQP-NIP,AQP-SIP,AQP-PIP, andAQP-TIP. This abundance ofAQPgenes is a reflection of gene duplications, both tandem and whole-genome, which have shaped their expansion. The chromosomal distribution of these genes reveals their widespread presence across the genome, with some subfamilies exhibiting more tandem duplications, suggesting distinct roles and evolutionary pressures. Sequence analysis uncovered characteristic motifs specific to different AQP subfamilies, demonstrating the diversification of protein and targeting. The expression profiles ofAQPgenes in various tissues in bothArabidopsis thalianaandEucalyptus grandisshowcased variations, with root tissues showing higher expression levels. Notably,AQP-PIPgenes consistently exhibited robust expression across tissues, highlighting their importance in maintaining water regulation within plants. Furthermore, the study investigated the response ofAQPgenes to drought stress and rehydration, revealing differential expression patterns.EgAQP-NIPandEgAQP-TIPgenes were up-regulated during drought stress, emphasizing their role in osmotic equilibrium and water transport. Conversely,EgAQP-PIPgenes showed down-regulation during drought stress but were up-regulated upon rehydration, indicating their involvement in water movement across cell membranes. Overall, this research contributes to our understanding ofAQPgenes inEucalyptus grandis, shedding light on their genomic evolution, expression patterns, and responses to environmental challenges, particularly drought stress. This information can be valuable for future studies aimed at enhancing the drought resilience of woody perennial plants likeEucalyptus grandis.