Identification, Classification and Characterization of bZIP Transcription Factor Family Members in Pinus massoniana Lamb.

Basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factors (TFs) are ubiquitous in eukaryotes. Members of this family play significant roles in the regulation of plant growth, signal transduction, and various stresses. To date, bZIP TFs have been extensively studied in various plants, but there is little information about them in Pinus massoniana Lamb. In this study, 55 bZIP TFs were identified based on data from four different P. massoniana transcriptomes, and a systematic analysis was performed. According to the phylogenetic results, P. massoniana bZIP TFs were divided into 11 groups. Each bZIP protein contained a highly conserved bZIP domain, and the numbers and types of motifs were similar in the same group. The PmbZIPs were nuclear localization proteins. Based on the pine wood nematode inoculation transcriptome, the transcriptional profiles revealed that 25 PmbZIP genes could respond to pine wood nematodes at different levels. Genes PmbZIP3, PmbZIP4, PmbZIP8, PmbZIP20, and PmbZIP23 were selected to be upregulated in the process of inoculation with pine wood nematodes. These five genes had different expression levels in different tissues and were responsive to the related treatment conditions. Transcriptional activity analysis showed that PmbZIP3 and PmbZIP8 were transcriptional activators; PmbZIP4, PmbZIP20 and PmbZIP23 were transcriptional repressors. These findings provide preliminary information on PmbZIP TFs, which is helpful for further study of other physiological functions of bZIP TFs in P. massoniana.

Automated summary

In this study, 55 bZIP transcription factors were identified in Pinus massoniana and a systematic analysis was performed. The bZIP TFs of P. massoniana were divided into 11 groups based on phylogenetic analysis. Each bZIP protein contained a conserved bZIP domain and exhibited similar motif types and numbers within the same group. Transcriptional profiles revealed that 25 PmbZIP genes responded to pine wood nematodes at different levels. Among them, PmbZIP3, PmbZIP4, PmbZIP8, PmbZIP20, and PmbZIP23 were upregulated during the nematode inoculation process.