Genome-wide identification of sucrose non-fermenting-1-related protein kinase genes in maize and their responses to abiotic stresses

Abstract

In total, 60 <i>SnRK</i> genes located on 10 chromosomes were discovered in maize. <i>ZmSnRKs</i> were classified into three subfamilies (<i>ZmSnRK1</i>, <i>ZmSnRK2</i>, and <i>ZmSnRK3</i>), consisting of 4, 14, and 42 genes, respectively. Gene structure analysis showed that 33 of the 42 <i>ZmSnRK3</i> genes contained only one exon. Most <i>ZmSnRK</i> genes contained at least one ABRE, MBS, and LTR cis-element and a few <i>ZmSnRK</i> genes had AuxRR-core, P-box, MBSI, and SARE ciselements in their promoter regions. The Ka:Ks ratio of 22 paralogous <i>ZmSnRK</i> gene pairs revealed that the <i>ZmSnRK</i> gene family had experienced a purifying selection. Meanwhile, we analyzed the expression profiles of <i>ZmSnRKs</i>, and they exhibited significant differences in various tissues and abiotic stresses. In addition, A total of eight ZmPP2Cs, which can interact with <i>ZmSnRK</i> proteins, and 46 miRNAs, which can target 24 <i>ZmSnRKs</i>, were identified. Generally, these results provide valuable information for further function verification of <i>ZmSnRKs</i>, and improve our understanding of the role of <i>ZmSnRKs</i> in the climate resilience of maize.