Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of aquaporin family in Canavalia rosea and their roles in the adaptation to saline-alkaline soils and drought stress.

Canavalia rosea (Sw.) DC. (bay bean) is an extremophile halophyte that is widely distributed in coastal areas of the tropics and subtropics. Seawater and drought tolerance in this species may be facilitated by aquaporins (AQPs), channel proteins that transport water and small molecules across cell membranes and thereby maintain cellular water homeostasis in the face of abiotic stress. In C. rosea, AQP diversity, protein features, and their biological functions are still largely unknown. We describe the action of AQPs in C. rosea using evolutionary analyses coupled with promoter and expression analyses. A total of 37 AQPs were identified in the C. rosea genome and classified into five subgroups: 11 plasma membrane intrinsic proteins, 10 tonoplast intrinsic proteins, 11 Nod26-like intrinsic proteins, 4 small and basic intrinsic proteins, and 1 X-intrinsic protein. Analysis of RNA-Seq data and targeted qPCR revealed organ-specific expression of aquaporin genes and the involvement of some AQP members in adaptation of C. rosea to extreme coral reef environments. We also analyzed C. rosea sequences for phylogeny reconstruction, protein modeling, cellular localizations, and promoter analysis. Furthermore, one of PIP1 gene, CrPIP1;5, was identified as functional using a yeast expression system and transgenic overexpression in Arabidopsis. Our results indicate that AQPs play an important role in C. rosea responses to saline-alkaline soils and drought stress. These findings not only increase our understanding of the role AQPs play in mediating C. rosea adaptation to extreme environments, but also improve our knowledge of plant aquaporin evolution more generally.

Lin R ，Zheng J ，Pu L ，Wang Z ，Mei Q ，Zhang M ，Jian S ... -  《BMC PLANT BIOLOGY》

Genome-Wide Identification, Primary Functional Characterization of the NHX Gene Family in Canavalia rosea, and Their Possible Roles for Adaptation to Tropical Coral Reefs.

Pu L ，Lin R ，Zou T ，Wang Z ，Zhang M ，Jian S ... -  《Genes》

Genome-Wide Analysis of the Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) and Abscisic Acid-, Stress-, and Ripening-Induced (ASR) Gene Superfamily from Canavalia rosea and Their Roles in Salinity/Alkaline and Drought Tolerance.

Lin R ，Zou T ，Mei Q ，Wang Z ，Zhang M ，Jian S ... -  《INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES》

Ectopic Expression of CrPIP2;3, a Plasma Membrane Intrinsic Protein Gene from the Halophyte Canavalia rosea, Enhances Drought and Salt-Alkali Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis.

Zheng J ，Lin R ，Pu L ，Wang Z ，Mei Q ，Zhang M ，Jian S ... -  《INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES》

Genome-Wide Identification, Structure Characterization, Expression Pattern Profiling, and Substrate Specificity of the Metal Tolerance Protein Family in Canavalia rosea (Sw.) DC.

Zou T ，Lin R ，Pu L ，Mei Q ，Wang Z ，Jian S ，Zhang M ... -  《Plants-Basel》