Genome-wide identification and comparative analysis of phosphate starvation-responsive transcription factors in maize and three other gramineous plants

The present study identified several important candidate Pi regulation genes of maize and provides a better understanding on the generation of PHR genes in gramineous plants. Plants have evolved adaptive responses to cope with low phosphate (Pi) soils. The previous studies have indicated that phosphate starvation response (PHR) genes play central roles in regulating plant Pi starvation responses. However, the investigation of PHR family in gramineous plants is limited. In this study, we identified 64 PHR genes in four gramineous plants, including maize, rice, sorghum, and brachypodium, and conducted systematical analyses on phylogenetic, structure, collinearity, and expression pattern of these PHR genes. Genome synteny analysis revealed that a number of PHR genes were present in the corresponding syntenic blocks of maize, rice, sorghum, and brachypodium, indicating that large-scale duplication events contributed significantly to the expansion and evolution of PHR genes in these gramineous plants. Gene expression analysis showed that many PHR genes were expressed in various tissues, suggesting that these genes are involved in Pi redistribution and allocation. In addition, the expression levels of PHR genes from maize and rice under low Pi stress conditions revealed that some PHRs may play an important role in Pi starvation response. Our results provided a better understanding on the generation of PHR genes in gramineous plants and identified several important candidate Pi regulation genes of maize.