Genome-Wide Identification, Expression and Interaction Analysis of GLN Gene Family in Soybean

Abstract

As a globally significant economic crop, the seed size of soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) is jointly regulated by internal genetic factors and external environmental signals. This study discovered that the GLN family proteins in soybean are similar to the KIX-PPD-MYC transcriptional repressor complex in Arabidopsis, potentially influencing seed size by regulating the expression of the downstream gene GIF1. Additionally, β-1,3-glucanase (βGlu) plays a crucial role in antifungal activity, cell composition, flower development, pollen development, abiotic resistance, seed germination, and maturation in soybean. Through a detailed analysis of the structure, chromosomal localization, phylogenetic relationships, and expression situations in different tissues at different stages of the soybean GLN gene family members, this research certifies a theoretical foundation for subsequent research on the biological functions of GLN genes in soybean. This research incorporated a comprehensive genomic identification and expression analysis of the GLN gene family in soybean. The results indicate that the 109 soybean GLN genes are unevenly distributed across soybean chromosomes and exhibit diverse expression patterns in different tissues, suggesting they may have distinct functions in soybean morphogenesis. GO enrichment analysis shows that the GLN gene family may participate in a variety of biological activities, cellular components, and molecular biological processes, particularly in catalytic activity, cellular components, and metabolic processes. These findings provide important information for comprehending the role of the GLN gene family in soybean and offer potential targets for molecular breeding of soybean.

Keywords: GLN gene family; expression pattern; seed size; soybean.

Figure 1

Phylogenetic tree of the GLN gene family in Arabidopsis thaliana, Oryza sativa, and Glycine max. A phylogenetic tree was built by using MEGAX (1 × 10³ bootstrap replicates). Each species is represented by a distinct color in the phylogenetic tree to facilitate differentiation. Genes prefixed with “Os” prefix designates genes from Oryza sativa, “At” prefix indicates genes from Arabidopsis thaliana, and “Gm” corresponds to Glycine max.

Figure 2

Analysis and prediction of gene structure, conserved motifs and domains for GmGLN genes. (A) Gene structure of GmGLN genes—green boxes indicate 5′or 3′ UTR regions, yellow boxes indicate exons, and lines with black represent introns. (B) Conserved domains for GmGLN protein family. (C) Conserved motifs for GmGLN protein family.

Figure 2

Analysis and prediction of gene structure, conserved motifs and domains for GmGLN genes. (A) Gene structure of GmGLN genes—green boxes indicate 5′or 3′ UTR regions, yellow boxes indicate exons, and lines with black represent introns. (B) Conserved domains for GmGLN protein family. (C) Conserved motifs for GmGLN protein family.

Figure 2

Analysis and prediction of gene structure, conserved motifs and domains for GmGLN genes. (A) Gene structure of GmGLN genes—green boxes indicate 5′or 3′ UTR regions, yellow boxes indicate exons, and lines with black represent introns. (B) Conserved domains for GmGLN protein family. (C) Conserved motifs for GmGLN protein family.

Figure 3

Localization of GmGLN genes on chromosomes. A total of 109 GmGLN genes are distributed across chromosomes 1 through 20. Each vertical bar is annotated with the corresponding chromosome number at its apex. A scale indicating the chromosome length in megabases (Mb) is provided alongside.

Figure 3

Localization of GmGLN genes on chromosomes. A total of 109 GmGLN genes are distributed across chromosomes 1 through 20. Each vertical bar is annotated with the corresponding chromosome number at its apex. A scale indicating the chromosome length in megabases (Mb) is provided alongside.

Figure 4

Analysis of gene ontology (GO) enrichment for the GmGLN gene family was stratified into three principal domains: biological process (BP), cellular component (CC), and molecular function (MF). GO terms with a p-value threshold of less than 5 × 10⁻² were considered to be statistically significant.

Figure 5

Heat map of the GmGLN gene family in different tissues for soybean. The heat map utilizes a color scale on its right side to represent the relative expression level, with a gradient ranging from light green to orange-red indicative of a progressive increase in expression.