Genome-Wide Analyses Reveal the Roles of CCT Genes as Regulators of Abiotic Stress Responses in <i>Citrullus lanatus</i>

Members of the CCT gene family have been shown to play roles in photoperiodic flowering and environmental adaptation under a range of conditions. In this study, 29 CCT genes from watermelon were categorized into three distinct subfamilies. The ClCCT genes were systematically analyzed, focusing on th...

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Main Authors: Yajie Hong, Mengsha Li, Wona Ding, Jun Shi, Zishuo Zheng, Nailin Xing, Qiuping Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Agronomy
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/1/232
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author Yajie Hong
Mengsha Li
Wona Ding
Jun Shi
Zishuo Zheng
Nailin Xing
Qiuping Li
author_facet Yajie Hong
Mengsha Li
Wona Ding
Jun Shi
Zishuo Zheng
Nailin Xing
Qiuping Li
author_sort Yajie Hong
collection DOAJ
description Members of the CCT gene family have been shown to play roles in photoperiodic flowering and environmental adaptation under a range of conditions. In this study, 29 CCT genes from watermelon were categorized into three distinct subfamilies. The ClCCT genes were systematically analyzed, focusing on their physicochemical properties, gene duplication, motifs, structural divergence, promoter regions, and collinearity with genes from other species. The responsiveness of these genes to abiotic stressors, hormone treatments, and photoperiod prolongation was also examined. Segmental duplication (gene amplification) significantly influenced the evolution of these genes, with most ClCCT genes containing light-, hormone-, and/or abiotic stimulus-responsive elements. In response to abiotic and hormonal stresses, 5 genes responded to cold, 1 gene to drought, and 4 genes to salt. 6 genes were responsive to ABA, and 13 genes to MeJA. Strikingly, <i>ClCCT17</i>, <i>ClCCT4</i>, and <i>ClCCT28</i> responded to multiple stressors. A majority of these ClCCT genes and their homologs in other species were responsive to prolonged daylight exposure. The varying expression patterns of these genes suggested a key role for watermelon CCT genes in the regulation of both abiotic stress responses and flowering. Functional diversity was also evident among CCT family genes within a given species as well as among species attributable to changes in the structural features and expression patterns of the genes and the encoded proteins.
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spelling doaj-art-74fe9d66a83d4c91968291f1c65bb1742025-01-24T13:17:16ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952025-01-0115123210.3390/agronomy15010232Genome-Wide Analyses Reveal the Roles of CCT Genes as Regulators of Abiotic Stress Responses in <i>Citrullus lanatus</i>Yajie Hong0Mengsha Li1Wona Ding2Jun Shi3Zishuo Zheng4Nailin Xing5Qiuping Li6Ningbo Key Laboratory of Agricultural Germplasm Resources Mining and Environmental Regulation, College of Science & Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315300, ChinaNingbo Key Laboratory of Agricultural Germplasm Resources Mining and Environmental Regulation, College of Science & Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315300, ChinaNingbo Key Laboratory of Agricultural Germplasm Resources Mining and Environmental Regulation, College of Science & Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315300, ChinaNingbo Key Laboratory of Characteristic Horticultural Crops in Quality Adjustment and Resistance Breeding, Ningbo 315040, ChinaNingbo Key Laboratory of Agricultural Germplasm Resources Mining and Environmental Regulation, College of Science & Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315300, ChinaNingbo Key Laboratory of Characteristic Horticultural Crops in Quality Adjustment and Resistance Breeding, Ningbo 315040, ChinaNingbo Key Laboratory of Agricultural Germplasm Resources Mining and Environmental Regulation, College of Science & Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315300, ChinaMembers of the CCT gene family have been shown to play roles in photoperiodic flowering and environmental adaptation under a range of conditions. In this study, 29 CCT genes from watermelon were categorized into three distinct subfamilies. The ClCCT genes were systematically analyzed, focusing on their physicochemical properties, gene duplication, motifs, structural divergence, promoter regions, and collinearity with genes from other species. The responsiveness of these genes to abiotic stressors, hormone treatments, and photoperiod prolongation was also examined. Segmental duplication (gene amplification) significantly influenced the evolution of these genes, with most ClCCT genes containing light-, hormone-, and/or abiotic stimulus-responsive elements. In response to abiotic and hormonal stresses, 5 genes responded to cold, 1 gene to drought, and 4 genes to salt. 6 genes were responsive to ABA, and 13 genes to MeJA. Strikingly, <i>ClCCT17</i>, <i>ClCCT4</i>, and <i>ClCCT28</i> responded to multiple stressors. A majority of these ClCCT genes and their homologs in other species were responsive to prolonged daylight exposure. The varying expression patterns of these genes suggested a key role for watermelon CCT genes in the regulation of both abiotic stress responses and flowering. Functional diversity was also evident among CCT family genes within a given species as well as among species attributable to changes in the structural features and expression patterns of the genes and the encoded proteins.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/1/232watermelonCCT geneabiotic stressexpression analysis
spellingShingle Yajie Hong
Mengsha Li
Wona Ding
Jun Shi
Zishuo Zheng
Nailin Xing
Qiuping Li
Genome-Wide Analyses Reveal the Roles of CCT Genes as Regulators of Abiotic Stress Responses in <i>Citrullus lanatus</i>
Agronomy
watermelon
CCT gene
abiotic stress
expression analysis
title Genome-Wide Analyses Reveal the Roles of CCT Genes as Regulators of Abiotic Stress Responses in <i>Citrullus lanatus</i>
title_full Genome-Wide Analyses Reveal the Roles of CCT Genes as Regulators of Abiotic Stress Responses in <i>Citrullus lanatus</i>
title_fullStr Genome-Wide Analyses Reveal the Roles of CCT Genes as Regulators of Abiotic Stress Responses in <i>Citrullus lanatus</i>
title_full_unstemmed Genome-Wide Analyses Reveal the Roles of CCT Genes as Regulators of Abiotic Stress Responses in <i>Citrullus lanatus</i>
title_short Genome-Wide Analyses Reveal the Roles of CCT Genes as Regulators of Abiotic Stress Responses in <i>Citrullus lanatus</i>
title_sort genome wide analyses reveal the roles of cct genes as regulators of abiotic stress responses in i citrullus lanatus i
topic watermelon
CCT gene
abiotic stress
expression analysis
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/1/232
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