Identification and Analysis of Stress-Associated Protein (SAP) Transcription Factor Family Members in <i>Pinus massoniana</i>

Stress-associated proteins (SAPs), belonging to the A20/AN1 zinc finger protein family, are key regulators in plant stress responses. Despite their importance, studies on the SAP gene family in <i>Pinus massoniana</i> are still relatively scarce. This study aimed to systematically identi...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yulu Zhao, Xingyue Ren, Jingjing Zhang, Wenya Yu, Qiong Yu, Kongshu Ji
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Plants
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/11/1592
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Summary:Stress-associated proteins (SAPs), belonging to the A20/AN1 zinc finger protein family, are key regulators in plant stress responses. Despite their importance, studies on the SAP gene family in <i>Pinus massoniana</i> are still relatively scarce. This study aimed to systematically identify and characterize SAP genes in <i>P. massoniana</i> and to explore their potential roles in stress response mechanisms. A total of 17 <i>PmSAP</i> genes were identified from <i>P. massoniana</i>. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that these genes group into five distinct clades, and 10 conserved motifs were identified. Using transcriptome data and qRT-PCR, we analyzed their expression patterns and employed yeast systems to validate their transcriptional activities. The responses of <i>PmSAP</i> gene family members to different stress treatments showed significant differences. For example, <i>PmSAP8</i> and <i>PmSAP12</i> responded strongly to ABA, MeJA, and H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> treatments, while <i>PmSAP3</i> and <i>PmSAP5</i> showed significant upregulation under ETH and NaCl stress. Yeast experiments indicated that <i>PmSAP6/8/12</i> were transcriptional activators, and <i>PmSAP3</i> and <i>PmSAP5</i> were transcriptional suppressors. The identification and preliminary analysis of <i>PmSAP</i> genes provided a theoretical foundation for understanding stress resistance mechanisms in <i>P. massoniana.</i>
ISSN:2223-7747