Genome-Wide Classification and Evolutionary and Functional Analyses of the VQ Family

VQ protein, contain a conserved and short FxxxVQxLTG amino acid sequence motif. Some VQ proteins play important roles in development process and abiotic/biotic stress in plants. However, there has not been a systematic study of the VQ family in plants. The results revealed that Group I genes are conserved in plant development in angiosperms; Group IV and Group X in eudicots and Group I, Group VI and Group VII in monocots are involved in drought response; Group I and Group IV are the most important groups and conservational in response to salt stress in eudicots but not in monocots; VQ genes in Group II and Group IV which responded to cold stress were overlapped in angiosperms; Group IV, Group V, Group VI and Group IX in eudicots and Group VI in monocots play key roles in response to ABA treatment; Group IV in eudicots while Group V and Group VI are irreplaceable in response to biotic stress in monocots. We propose that this study provides solid foundations for the investigation of the functions and evolution of VQ genes in angiosperms.