GENOME-WIDE IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PLANT-SPECIFIC DOF TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR GENE FAMILY IN CASHEW (ANACARDIUM OCCIDENTALE)

Abstract

DNA binding with one-finger (Dof) protein belongs to the plant-specific transcription factors (PSTFs) gene family. These transcription factors have a variety of roles in many biological processes in plants. However, there is limited research on their role in Cashew. A total of 67 Dof genes were found in the cashew genome and were classified into 11 subgroups (A, B1, B2, C1, C2, D, E1, E2, F1, F2, and F3) by comparing them with Dof genes from Arabidopsis and lettuce. Cashew Dof genes were present in 9 of these subgroups, except for A and F1. This article provides a detailed discussion of the gene structures, chromosome positions, phylogeny, subcellular localization, cis-regulatory analysis, protein motifs, and evolutionary patterns of Dof genes in cashew. The only type of duplication found in cashew was segmental duplication, which mainly contributes to the large Dof gene family. The analysis of cis-regulatory elements (CREs) revealed the presence of light, ethylene, seed, circadian, meristem, and auxin-sensitive elements, which are particularly sensitive to these factors. The article also includes a comparative analysis of the evolutionary or phylogenetic relationships between Dof genes from lettuce, cashew, and Arabidopsis. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the Dof gene family in cashew and can serve as a guide for functional analysis and cloning of its gene family members.