Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the<i>Dof</i>gene family under drought stress in tea (<i>Camellia sinensis</i>)

Abstract

We identified 16 <i>Dof</i> genes in tea (<i>C. sinensis</i> cv. Huangjinya) using whole-genome analysis. Through comparative analysis of tea and <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>, we divided the <i>Dof</i> genes into four families (A, B, C, and D). We identified 15 motifs in the amino acid sequences of the CsDof proteins. Gene sequences and motif structures were highly conserved among families, especially in the B1 and C2 subfamilies. The protein-protein interaction network indicated that multiple CsDof proteins may be involved in the response to drought stress. Real-time PCR was used to examine the tissue-specific expression patterns of the <i>CsDof</i> genes and to measure their responses to different levels of PEG6000-induced drought stress in mature leaves. Most <i>CsDof</i> genes responded to drought stress. These results provide information on the <i>Dof</i> gene family in tea, offer new insights into the function of <i>CsDof</i> genes in a perennial species, and lay the foundation for further analysis of their functions.