title: Genome-wide identification and characterization of polygalacturonase genes in Cucumis sativus and Citrullus lanatus.
abstract: Polygalacturonase (PG, EC3.2.1.15), one of the hydrolytic enzymes associated with the modification of pectin network in plant cell wall, has an important role in various cell-separation processes that are essential for plant development. PGs are encoded by a large gene family in plants. However, information on this gene family in plant development remains limited. In the present study, 53 and 62 putative members of the PG gene family in cucumber and watermelon genomes, respectively, were identified by genome-wide search to explore the composition, structure, and evolution of the PG family in Cucurbitaceae crops. The results showed that tandem duplication could be an important factor that contributes to the expansion of the PG genes in the two crops. The phylogenetic and evolutionary analyses suggested that PGs could be classified into seven clades, and that the exon/intron structures and intron phases were conserved within but divergent between clades. At least 24 ancestral PGs were detected in the common ancestor of Arabidopsis and Cucumis sativus. Expression profile analysis by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction demonstrated that most CsPGs exhibit specific or high expression pattern in one of the organs/tissues. The 16 CsPGs associated with fruit development could be divided into three subsets based on their specific expression patterns and the cis-elements of fruit-specific, endosperm/seed-specific, and ethylene-responsive exhibited in their promoter regions. Our comparative analysis provided some basic information on the PG gene family, which would be valuable for further functional analysis of the PG genes during plant development.
authors: Laboratory of Cell & Molecular Biology, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
authors: Youjian
authors: Y
authors: Yu
authors: Laboratory of Cell & Molecular Biology, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
authors: Ying
authors: Y
authors: Liang
authors: Laboratory of Cell & Molecular Biology, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
authors: Meiling
authors: M
authors: Lv
authors: Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
authors: Jian
authors: J
authors: Wu
authors: Laboratory of Cell & Molecular Biology, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
authors: Gang
authors: G
authors: Lu
authors: Laboratory of Cell & Molecular Biology, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China. Electronic address: jshcao@zju.edu.cn.
authors: Jiashu
authors: J
authors: Cao
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D032461:Chromosomes, Plant; D029773:Citrullus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D018553:Cucumis sativus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D018745:Genome, Plant; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D011096:Polygalacturonase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D011096:Polygalacturonase
keywords: Citrullus lanatus; Cucumber; Cucumis sativus; DAP; EST; Expression analysis; Gene family; ORF; PG; Phylogenetic analysis; Polygalacturonase; QRT-PCR; days after pollination; expressed sequence tag; open reading frame; polygalacturonase; quantitative real-time PCR