Genome-wide characterization and expression analysis of LBD transcription factors in Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa: putative roles in tissue development and abiotic stress adaptation

The plant-specific Lateral Organ Boundaries Domain (LBD) transcription factors (TFs) are critical regulators of the expression of genes related to tissue development and stress responses. Sour jujube (Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa), a stress-tolerant rootstock for jujube cultivation, remains understu...

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Main Authors: Meng Li, Qiaoyun Zhang, Shuhui Zhou, Ruixue Wang, Yao Zhao, Jibiao Geng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-05-01
Series:Frontiers in Plant Science
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2025.1602440/full
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author Meng Li
Qiaoyun Zhang
Shuhui Zhou
Ruixue Wang
Yao Zhao
Jibiao Geng
author_facet Meng Li
Qiaoyun Zhang
Shuhui Zhou
Ruixue Wang
Yao Zhao
Jibiao Geng
author_sort Meng Li
collection DOAJ
description The plant-specific Lateral Organ Boundaries Domain (LBD) transcription factors (TFs) are critical regulators of the expression of genes related to tissue development and stress responses. Sour jujube (Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa), a stress-tolerant rootstock for jujube cultivation, remains understudied in terms of its LBD gene family. In this study, a genome-wide analysis of the sour jujube genome was performed and 37 ZjLBD genes were identified. These genes were phylogenetically classified into two classes and six subgroups based on evolutionary relationships with Arabidopsis and poplar. These genes were unevenly distributed across 11 chromosomes, with 15 segmental duplication events detected. Upstream TFs of ZjLBDs were predicted and grouped into six interactive networks, revealing that the functions of ZjLBDs may be enriched in stress response, hormone signaling, and tissue development. RNA-seq data demonstrated tissue-specific expression patterns of ZjLBDs, with limited genes highly expressed in fruit. The ZjLBD23 may regulate the development of flowers and white mature fruits, while ZjLBD11, ZjLBD13, ZjLBD22 and ZjLBD28 may be involved in lateral root formation. Analysis of the cis-acting elements, homology relationships and abiotic stress-induced expression levels suggested functional divergence: ZjLBD13, ZjLBD19 and ZjLBD28 may contribute to extreme cold resistance, ZjLBD11, ZjLBD14, ZjLBD33 and ZjLBD35 may be associated with drought tolerance, and ZjLBD9, ZjLBD13 and ZjLBD22 with salt stress adaptation. This study provides critical insights into the biological roles of ZjLBDs and lays a foundation for breeding sour jujube varieties with enhanced stress resilience.
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spelling doaj-art-5f8d0b7e43e34c1fbea4a80eec0cee902025-08-20T03:13:33ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2025-05-011610.3389/fpls.2025.16024401602440Genome-wide characterization and expression analysis of LBD transcription factors in Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa: putative roles in tissue development and abiotic stress adaptationMeng Li0Qiaoyun Zhang1Shuhui Zhou2Ruixue Wang3Yao Zhao4Jibiao Geng5Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water and Soil Conservation and Environmental Protection, College of Resources and Environment, Linyi University, Linyi, Shandong, ChinaShandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water and Soil Conservation and Environmental Protection, College of Resources and Environment, Linyi University, Linyi, Shandong, ChinaShandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water and Soil Conservation and Environmental Protection, College of Resources and Environment, Linyi University, Linyi, Shandong, ChinaShandong Provincial Forestry Protection and Development Service Center, Department of Natural Resources of Shandong Province, Jinan, Shandong, ChinaShandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water and Soil Conservation and Environmental Protection, College of Resources and Environment, Linyi University, Linyi, Shandong, ChinaShandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water and Soil Conservation and Environmental Protection, College of Resources and Environment, Linyi University, Linyi, Shandong, ChinaThe plant-specific Lateral Organ Boundaries Domain (LBD) transcription factors (TFs) are critical regulators of the expression of genes related to tissue development and stress responses. Sour jujube (Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa), a stress-tolerant rootstock for jujube cultivation, remains understudied in terms of its LBD gene family. In this study, a genome-wide analysis of the sour jujube genome was performed and 37 ZjLBD genes were identified. These genes were phylogenetically classified into two classes and six subgroups based on evolutionary relationships with Arabidopsis and poplar. These genes were unevenly distributed across 11 chromosomes, with 15 segmental duplication events detected. Upstream TFs of ZjLBDs were predicted and grouped into six interactive networks, revealing that the functions of ZjLBDs may be enriched in stress response, hormone signaling, and tissue development. RNA-seq data demonstrated tissue-specific expression patterns of ZjLBDs, with limited genes highly expressed in fruit. The ZjLBD23 may regulate the development of flowers and white mature fruits, while ZjLBD11, ZjLBD13, ZjLBD22 and ZjLBD28 may be involved in lateral root formation. Analysis of the cis-acting elements, homology relationships and abiotic stress-induced expression levels suggested functional divergence: ZjLBD13, ZjLBD19 and ZjLBD28 may contribute to extreme cold resistance, ZjLBD11, ZjLBD14, ZjLBD33 and ZjLBD35 may be associated with drought tolerance, and ZjLBD9, ZjLBD13 and ZjLBD22 with salt stress adaptation. This study provides critical insights into the biological roles of ZjLBDs and lays a foundation for breeding sour jujube varieties with enhanced stress resilience.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2025.1602440/fullgenome-wide analysisexpression patternsstress responseLBDsour jujube
spellingShingle Meng Li
Qiaoyun Zhang
Shuhui Zhou
Ruixue Wang
Yao Zhao
Jibiao Geng
Genome-wide characterization and expression analysis of LBD transcription factors in Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa: putative roles in tissue development and abiotic stress adaptation
Frontiers in Plant Science
genome-wide analysis
expression patterns
stress response
LBD
sour jujube
title Genome-wide characterization and expression analysis of LBD transcription factors in Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa: putative roles in tissue development and abiotic stress adaptation
title_full Genome-wide characterization and expression analysis of LBD transcription factors in Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa: putative roles in tissue development and abiotic stress adaptation
title_fullStr Genome-wide characterization and expression analysis of LBD transcription factors in Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa: putative roles in tissue development and abiotic stress adaptation
title_full_unstemmed Genome-wide characterization and expression analysis of LBD transcription factors in Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa: putative roles in tissue development and abiotic stress adaptation
title_short Genome-wide characterization and expression analysis of LBD transcription factors in Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa: putative roles in tissue development and abiotic stress adaptation
title_sort genome wide characterization and expression analysis of lbd transcription factors in ziziphus jujuba var spinosa putative roles in tissue development and abiotic stress adaptation
topic genome-wide analysis
expression patterns
stress response
LBD
sour jujube
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2025.1602440/full
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