Genome-Wide Analysis of Q-Type C2H2 ZFP Genes in Response to Biotic and Abiotic Stresses in Sugar Beet

SIMPLE SUMMARY: A plant’s C2H2-type zinc finger proteins (C2H2-ZFPs) play crucial roles in the process of plant growth and development, as well as various stress responses. The Q-type ZFP family, which contains a conserved “QALGGH”, has been reported in many plants. Sugar beet is an important crop for sugar production. Salt stress and viral infection significantly reduce both sugar yield and processing quality of sugar beet. So far, the genome-wide analysis of Q-type C2H2 ZPFs and their expression pattern in sugar beet have not been analyzed yet. This study analyzed 35 Q-type ZFPs in sugar beet and their expression patterns under salt stress and virus. These results will provide theoretical evidence for understanding the functions of Q-type ZFPs. ABSTRACT: A plant’s Q-type C2H2-type ZFP plays key roles in plant growth and development and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) is an important crop for sugar production. Salt stress and viral infection significantly reduce the root yield and sugar content of sugar beet. However, there is a lack of comprehensive genome-wide analyses of Q-type C2H2 ZFPs and their expression patterns in sugar beet under stress. In this study, 35 sugar beet Q-type C2H2 ZFPs (BvZFPs) containing at least one conserved “QALGGH” motif were identified via bioinformatics techniques using TBtools software. According to their evolutionary relationship, the BvZFPs were classified into five subclasses. Within each subclass, the physicochemical properties and motif compositions showed strong similarities. A Ka/Ks analysis indicated that the BvZFPs were conserved during evolution. Promoter cis-element analysis revealed that most BvZFPs are associated with elements related to phytohormone, biotic or abiotic stress, and plant development. The expression data showed that the BvZFPs in sugar beet are predominantly expressed in the root. In addition, BvZFPs are involved in the response to abiotic and biotic stresses, including salt stress and viral infection. Overall, these results will extend our understanding of the Q-type C2H2 gene family and provide valuable information for the biological breeding of sugar beet against abiotic and biotic stresses in the future.