Multidimensional analysis of actin depolymerising factor family in pigeon pea under different environmental stress revealed specific response genes in each subgroup

Actin depolymerising factor (ADF) is an actin binding protein that is ubiquitous in animal and plant cells. It plays an important role in plant growth and development, as well as resistance to biotic and abiotic stress. The research of plant ADF family has been restricted toArabidopsis thaliana(L.) Heynh. and some herb crops, but no woody cash crops have been reported to date. All members of theCajanus cajan(L.) Millsp.ADF(CcADF) family were identified from the pigeon pea genome, and distributed among the four subfamilies by phylogenetic analysis.CcADFswere relatively conservative in gene structure evolution, protein structure and functional expression, and differentCcADFsshowed specific expression patterns under different treatments. The expression characteristics of several keyCcADFswere revealed by analysing the stress response pattern ofCcADFsand the time series RNA-seq of aluminium stress. Among them,CcADF9in the first subgroup specifically responded to aluminium stress in the roots;CcADF3in the second subgroup intensively responded to fungal infection in the leaves; andCcADF2in the fourth subgroup positively responded to various stress treatments in different tissues. This study extended the relationship between plantADFfamily and aluminium tolerance, as well as adding to the understanding ofCcADFfamily in woody crops.

Automated summary

The study identified all members of the CcADF family from the pigeon pea genome and revealed their specific expression patterns under different stress treatments. Phylogenetic analysis showed that these CcADFs were relatively conservative in gene structure evolution, protein structure, and functional expression, with different subgroups showing specific response patterns to different stresses.