Genome-Wide Analysis of the <i>ATGs</i> Family in Watermelon and the Involvement of <i>ATG8s</i> in Graft Union Formation

Genome-Wide Analysis of the <i>ATGs</i> Family in Watermelon and the Involvement of <i>ATG8s</i> in Graft Union Formation

Autophagy, an evolutionarily conserved process for cellular component degradation and recycling, occurs in yeasts, animals, and plants under both stress and normal conditions. However, the functions of autophagy-related genes (<i>ATGs</i>) in watermelon (<i>Citrullus lanatus</i&...

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Main Authors: Fei Ding, Siqi Cheng, Shaoshuai Fan, Xiulan Fan, Xiaonuan Chen, Jianan Zhang, Yixin Zhang, Yansu Li, Li Miao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Horticulturae
Subjects:
watermelon
autophagy
grafting
<i>ClaATGs</i>
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/6/619
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Summary:Autophagy, an evolutionarily conserved process for cellular component degradation and recycling, occurs in yeasts, animals, and plants under both stress and normal conditions. However, the functions of autophagy-related genes (<i>ATGs</i>) in watermelon (<i>Citrullus lanatus</i>) remain uncharacterized. In this study, a phylogenetic analysis identified 27 <i>ATGs</i> belonging to 16 subfamilies in the watermelon genome. A promoter analysis revealed that all the <i>ClaATGs</i> contain multiple photo-responsive elements. Tissue-specific expression profiling showed diverse expression patterns of <i>ClaATGs</i> across different tissues, except for the constitutively expressed <i>ClaATG6</i>. Exogenous independent treatments with glucose, naphthalene acetic acid, and 6-benzylaminopurine induced the expression of most <i>ClaATGs</i>, particularly members of the <i>ClaATG8</i> subfamily, in the graft unions of normal and etiolated seedlings. A sugar application significantly increased autophagosome numbers during the early stages of graft interface healing, accompanied by the upregulation of <i>ClaATG6</i>, <i>ClaATG8b</i>, <i>ClaATG8i</i>, and <i>ClaTOR</i>, as well as the downregulation of <i>ClaSnRK1</i>. These findings elucidate the roles of <i>ATGs</i> in watermelon graft union formation and provide novel insights into the complex functions of autophagy in plant development and stress responses.
ISSN:2311-7524

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