Identification of Q-type C2H2 Zinc Finger Protein Gene Family and Their Expression Analysis under Low Temperature Stress in Prunus persica

PurposeTo identify the members of Q-type C2H2 zinc finger protein gene family from peach genome, and bioinformatics and low temperature expression analysis were carried out, providing a theoretical basis for the study of peach stress resistance.

MethodsThe physicochemical properties, phylogeny and gene structure of 46 Q-type C2H2 zinc finger protein family members in peach were analyzed by bioinformatics, and their expression characteristics under low temperature stress were analyzed by real-time fluorescence.

ResultsThe number of amino acids of peach Q-type C2H2 zinc finger protein family members ranged from 155 to 607, and mainly located in nucleus. Chromosome mapping revealed that the family members were unevenly distributed on eight chromosomes. The members of Q-type C2H2 family of peach and Arabidopsis were divided into 16 subgroups by phylogenetic analysis. Gene structure analysis showed that the members of the same subfamily had a similar structure and the number of exons was basically the same. Cis-acting element analysis showed that the 2 000 bp region upstream of the promoter sequence of most Q-type C2H2 zinc finger protein family members contained a large number of hormones and abiotic stress response elements. qRT-PCR analysis showed that 16 members of peach Q-type C2H2 zinc finger protein family were up-regulated under low temperature stress, among which PpC2H2-18 gene was the most significant.

ConclusionThe family members contain conserved motifs and domains, and they can participate in plant growth and development and biological and abiotic stress, so as to provide reference for cold resistance breeding of peach.