Comparative Analysis of GRAS Genes in Six Cucurbitaceae Species Provides Insights into Their Evolution and Function

The Cucurbitaceae family comprises economically valuable vegetables such as cucumber, melon, and pumpkin. GRAS proteins, which are crucial transcription factors, play diverse roles in plant growth development. However, comparative investigations of proteins across species limited. Here, we identified 241 genes six cucurbit crops. number wax gourd, watermelon, bottle gourd ranged from 36 to 37, while the pumpkin genome contained 57 genes, possibly due a recent whole-genome duplication. We classified into 16 subfamilies species-specific motifs specific-expression patterns SCLB RAD1 subfamilies. Notably, 38 tissue-specific expressed particularly fruit-specific potentially involved fruit Additionally, predicted role regulating hypocotyl elongation under weak or dark light conditions plants. These findings enhance our understanding characteristics, evolution, potential functions crops, providing resources for genetic research well important agronomic traits.