Crops ›› 2025, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (6): 100-111.doi: 10.16035/j.issn.1001-7283.2025.06.013

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Identification and Expression Analysis of LEA Gene Family in Chenopodium quinoa Willd. under Salt Stress

Zhang Yemeng1,2(), Lu Kexin1, Mao Wenyu1, Zhang Xiaoyan1, Li Wenjing1, Yang Xiu1   

  1. 1 School of Life Science and Bioengineering, Jining University, Qufu 273155, Shandong, China
    2 Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 810000, Qinghai, China
  • Received:2025-05-17 Revised:2025-06-14 Online:2025-12-15 Published:2025-12-12

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Abstract:

In order to analyze the physicochemical properties, chromosomal distribution, gene structure, protein conserved motifs, interspecies synteny and expression patterns of the LEA gene family in quinoa, LEAs were identified in the whole genome of quinoa using bioinformatics methods. The results showed that a total of 64 LEA gene family members were identified in the quinoa genome, belonging to seven subgroups and distributed on 13 chromosomes, and the members of the same subgroups have similar gene structures and conserved motifs. Intraspecific and interspecies synteny analysis revealed 20 duplicate gene pairs among 64 LEA genes, and a high degree of evolutionary conservation with species in the Leguminosae. Promoter analysis of LEA genes revealed the presence of various cis-acting elements related to hormones and abiotic stress. Among them, 46 LEA genes were induced by salt stress, and GO annotation revealed involvement in biological processes such as anatomical structure development, root development, defense response, and reproductive system development, suggesting that members of the various subgroups of LEAs may play different roles in different biological processes enhancing salt stress tolerance in quinoa.

Key words: Quinoa, LEA gene family, Salt stress, Duplicated genes, Cis-acting element

Table 1

qRT-PCR primers of LEA genes in quinoa"

基因ID Gene ID 上游引物Forward primer (5'-3') 下游引物Reverse primer (5'-3')
AUR62012039 AGGAAAGAAAGCAGTAGAGTCC AGTGGTGGAGTGAGTGTGAG
AUR62040787 ACCGATGAACCCGAGAATC TTAGCCTGTCAACCGAGTAGC
AUR62008681 CGCTCTCTATCCAACGCTAAG TCAGCAACATCAATCTCAGC
AUR62025562 TGGCTCGCTCTCTATTCAAC CCTGTAGTATCCAGTTACGGG
AUR62018884 CAAATCGTTTCTCACCCAAC AAAGGTCTTCTGCTCCAGC
AUR62005994 CATTTGGTTCATCCTCCAC TGTTGCCCTTTGTAAGAAGC
LOC110715281 (ACT-1)[16] GTCCACAGAAAGTGCTTCTAAG AACAACTCCTCACCTTCTCATG

Fig.1

Phylogenetic analysis of LEA protein in quinoa"

Table 2

Physicochemical properties and subcellular localizations of LEA protein in quinoa"

蛋白ID
Protein ID		 氨基酸长度
Amino acid length		 分子量
Molecular weight (Da)		 等电点
pI		 亲水性指数
Hydropathy index		 亚细胞定位预测
Subcellular localization prediction		 亚组
Subgroup
AUR62015378 585 62 135.91 6.16 -0.905 细胞核 LEA_1
AUR62012039 185 18 965.61 9.16 -0.941 细胞核 LEA_1
AUR62007271 135 14 669.53 9.46 -0.916 细胞核 LEA_1
AUR62018728 133 14 474.30 9.52 -0.932 细胞核 LEA_1
AUR62037998 411 46 980.05 9.10 -0.148 细胞核 LEA_1
AUR62023336 66 7632.58 5.94 -1.315 细胞核 LEA_1
AUR62024021 195 22 461.13 9.73 -0.282 叶绿体 LEA_2
AUR62041321 195 22 560.25 9.67 -0.335 叶绿体 LEA_2
AUR62001543 265 30 001.52 9.49 0.010 细胞膜 LEA_2
AUR62023990 235 26 515.15 9.78 -0.234 细胞膜 LEA_2
AUR62031792 235 26 387.11 9.87 -0.208 细胞膜 LEA_2
AUR62004562 253 27 621.05 10.56 -0.245 细胞核 LEA_2
AUR62011004 134 14 815.91 5.26 0.050 叶绿体 LEA_2
AUR62016447 221 25 098.34 9.55 -0.133 叶绿体 LEA_2
AUR62042923 221 25 233.27 9.32 -0.138 叶绿体 LEA_2
AUR62002497 385 42 855.48 5.99 -0.321 叶绿体 LEA_2
AUR62023689 369 41 236.24 5.83 -0.459 细胞质 LEA_2
AUR62004417 327 36 389.79 6.88 -0.233 细胞核 LEA_2
AUR62022623 261 29 129.75 8.81 -0.141 叶绿体 LEA_2
AUR62004416 159 17 883.58 5.94 -0.311 叶绿体 LEA_2
AUR62022622 159 17 911.63 5.94 -0.313 叶绿体 LEA_2
AUR62037343 230 26 081.43 8.38 0.061 叶绿体 LEA_2
AUR62036201 397 42 223.68 6.90 -0.251 细胞质 LEA_2
AUR62012636 625 70 739.43 7.36 -0.342 叶绿体 LEA_2
AUR62022020 907 100 918.35 9.26 -0.264 叶绿体 LEA_2
AUR62037531 257 28 396.07 9.68 -0.202 细胞核 LEA_2
AUR62044049 260 28 782.62 9.84 -0.165 线粒体 LEA_2
AUR62038568 260 28 969.89 9.95 -0.105 细胞核 LEA_2
AUR62040787 260 29 063.15 9.89 -0.073 细胞膜 LEA_2
AUR62036192 201 22 519.08 9.37 -0.090 细胞核 LEA_2
AUR62009745 202 22 541.10 9.37 -0.084 叶绿体 LEA_2
AUR62025118 411 44 859.42 9.83 0.009 细胞膜 LEA_2
AUR62037168 294 32 124.13 9.74 -0.330 叶绿体 LEA_2
AUR62037166 294 32 124.13 9.74 -0.330 叶绿体 LEA_2
AUR62009984 362 40 962.60 9.28 -0.409 叶绿体 LEA_2
AUR62037049 235 26 528.57 9.15 -0.274 叶绿体 LEA_2
AUR62029813 193 20 922.48 10.08 0.216 叶绿体 LEA_2
AUR62006457 193 20 962.50 10.02 0.210 细胞核 LEA_2
AUR62028077 506 55 181.12 5.71 -0.133 细胞壁 LEA_2
AUR62005994 210 23 568.40 9.40 -0.006 细胞膜 LEA_2
AUR62030850 727 83 308.07 6.24 -0.230 叶绿体 LEA_2
AUR62027010 209 22 664.20 9.32 0.171 细胞膜 LEA_2
AUR62029814 211 23 171.20 9.97 0.120 叶绿体 LEA_2
AUR62006458 211 23 160.13 9.87 0.096 叶绿体 LEA_2
AUR62024025 169 19 641.29 7.79 -0.349 过氧化物酶体 LEA_2
AUR62041317 217 24 772.49 9.14 -0.156 细胞壁 LEA_2
AUR62001542 212 23 801.43 9.49 -0.028 叶绿体 LEA_2
AUR62020241 214 24 051.61 9.54 -0.009 叶绿体 LEA_2
AUR62037051 209 23 402.50 9.68 0.176 细胞膜 LEA_2
AUR62006280 256 29 111.35 10.44 -0.128 叶绿体 LEA_2
AUR62025562 93 10 039.37 9.89 -0.357 叶绿体 LEA_3a
AUR62008681 93 9969.23 9.89 -0.387 叶绿体 LEA_3a
AUR62025623 101 11 655.31 9.69 -0.517 叶绿体 LEA_3a
AUR62001414 100 11 431.16 9.77 -0.380 叶绿体 LEA_3a
AUR62005925 125 13 672.20 7.91 -0.582 细胞核 LEA_3b
AUR62028136 164 17 893.23 6.74 -0.235 细胞核 LEA_3b
AUR62018884 125 13 633.10 6.96 -0.648 细胞核 LEA_3b
AUR62040165 498 53 522.13 6.87 -1.016 细胞核 LEA_4
AUR62030479 114 12 430.48 5.77 -1.383 细胞核 LEA_5
AUR62030818 114 12 433.50 6.16 -1.403 细胞核 LEA_5
AUR62007217 84 9075.84 5.92 -1.585 细胞核 LEA_5
AUR62018784 84 8950.71 5.90 -1.474 细胞核 LEA_5
AUR62038279 87 9085.71 4.46 -1.171 细胞核 LEA_6
AUR62003966 87 9126.81 4.59 -1.183 细胞核 LEA_6

Fig.2

Gene structure and motif analysis of LEA genes in quinoa"

Fig.3

Genomic distribution of LEA genes on quinoa chromosomes"

Fig.4

Collinear distribution of LEA gene family members in quinoa Numbers in inner circle indicate chromosome number."

Fig.5

Collinear analysis of LEA genes in quinoa with Arabidopsis thaliana, Oryza sativa, Medicago truncatula and Glycine max The red line is the collinearity of LEAs, and the gray line is the collinearity of other genes. The numerals represent the chromosome numbers of the genomes of the above crops."

Fig.6

Cis-acting element analysis in promoter of LEA gene family members"

Fig.7

Expression patterns of LEA gene family members in quinoa under salt stress"

Fig.8

GO annotations of LEA gene family members in quinoa"

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