Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of AP2/EREBP Transcription Factors in Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.)

Abstract APETALA2/ethylene response element binding proteins (AP2/EREBP) are a vital type of TF involved in plant organ development and embryogenesis. In this study we identified 202 Litchi AP2/EREBP TFs from the litchi genome. They were classified into four subfamilies by phylogenetic clustering, including AP2s (20), ERFs (112), DREBs (64), RAVs (6). Analysis conserved domains, motifs, gene structure, genome localization carried out to investigate evolutionary features AP2/EREBPs. Over 35% expansion AP2/EREBPs resulted tandem duplication. The majority genomic organizations conservative, except those AP2 subfamily, which had no intron contained less conservative motif numbers. expression profiles ten tissues investigated using RNA-Seq data fifty-nine showed tissue-specific expressions. Their patterns confirmed qRT-PCR with eight tissues-specificity genes. Six genes related embryogenesis map orthologous interaction between Arabidopsis litchi. This paper is comprehensive report on characteristics superfamily. It will serve further explore regulatory mechanisms somatic provide information for molecular breeding.