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. 2022 Mar 22:13:843107.
doi: 10.3389/fpls.2022.843107. eCollection 2022.

Genome-Wide Analysis of Late Embryogenesis Abundant Protein Gene Family in Vigna Species and Expression of VrLEA Encoding Genes in Vigna glabrescens Reveal Its Role in Heat Tolerance

Chandra Mohan Singh  1 , Mukul Kumar  1 , Aditya Pratap  2 , Anupam Tripathi  1 , Smita Singh  1 , Anuj Mishra  1 , Hitesh Kumar  1 , Ramkrishnan M Nair  3 , Narendra Pratap Singh  1
Affiliations

Genome-Wide Analysis of Late Embryogenesis Abundant Protein Gene Family in Vigna Species and Expression of VrLEA Encoding Genes in Vigna glabrescens Reveal Its Role in Heat Tolerance

Chandra Mohan Singh et al. Front Plant Sci. .

Abstract

Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins are identified in many crops for their response and role in adaptation to various abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity, and temperature. The LEA genes have been studied systematically in several crops but not in Vigna crops. In this study, we reported the first comprehensive analysis of the LEA gene family in three legume species, namely, mung bean (Vigna radiata), adzuki bean (Vigna angularis), and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), and the cross-species expression of VrLEA genes in a wild tetraploid species, Vigna glabrescens. A total of 201 LEA genes from three Vigna crops were identified harboring the LEA conserved motif. Among these 55, 64, and 82 LEA genes were identified in mung bean, adzuki bean, and cowpea genomes, respectively. These LEA genes were grouped into eight different classes. Our analysis revealed that the cowpea genome comprised all eight classes of LEA genes, whereas the LEA-6 class was absent in the mung bean genome. Similarly, LEA-5 and LEA-6 were absent in the adzuki bean genome. The analysis of LEA genes provides an insight into their structural and functional diversity in the Vigna genome. The genes, such as VrLEA-2, VrLEA-40, VrLEA-47, and VrLEA-55, were significantly upregulated in the heat-tolerant genotype under stress conditions indicating the basis of heat tolerance. The successful amplification and expression of VrLEA genes in V. glabrescens indicated the utility of the developed markers in mung bean improvement. The results of this study increase our understanding of LEA genes and provide robust candidate genes for future functional investigations and a basis for improving heat stress tolerance in Vigna crops.

Keywords: LEA genes; abiotic stress; candidate genes; expression analysis; heat stress; mung bean; wild Vigna.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
(A) Chromosomal distribution of late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) genes on mung bean (Vigna radiata) genome. (B) Chromosomal distribution of LEA genes on adzuki bean (Vigna angularis) genome. (C) Chromosomal distribution of LEA genes on cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) genome.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Phylogenetic relationship of VrLEA, VaLEA, and VuLEA genes.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Intron-exon gene structure analysis of VrLEA genes.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Intron-exon gene structure analysis of VaLEA genes.
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
Intron-exon gene structure analysis of VuLEA genes.
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 6
Motif analysis of (A) VrLEA, (B) VaLEA, and (C) VuLEA genes.
FIGURE 7
FIGURE 7
qRT-PCR analysis of selected VrLEA candidate genes on HS-mungbean (IPM 312-19) and HR-V. glabrescens (IC251372) under heat shock stress through detached leaf method. The statistical test was performed separately in both genotypes. The same letters show non-significant differences, whereas different letters show significant differences.
FIGURE 8
FIGURE 8
qRT-PCR analysis of selected VrLEA candidate genes on HS-mungbean (IPM 312-19) and HR-V. glabrescens (IC251372) under heat shock stress at seedling stage. The statistical test was performed separately in both genotypes. The same letters show non-significant differences, whereas different letters show significant differences.
FIGURE 9
FIGURE 9
(A) Number and (B) proportion of LEA protein in VrLEA, VaLEA, and VuLEA gene families based on their molecular weight.
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