Genome-wide analysis of the SPL gene family in Platanus × acerifolia and functional characterization of PaSPL8a in flowering

Abstract The SQUAMOUS PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN-LIKE (SPL) gene family encodes plant-specific transcription factors that regulate diverse physiological processes, including growth, flowering, and stress responses. A total of 32 PaSPL genes were identified and characterized in the genome of Platanus ×...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xiyan Chen, Gehui Shi, Xu Yan, Jinghong Wu, Ting Peng, Manzhu Bao, Jiaqi Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-04-01
Series:Horticulture Advances
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s44281-025-00066-7
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850145240238784512
author Xiyan Chen
Gehui Shi
Xu Yan
Jinghong Wu
Ting Peng
Manzhu Bao
Jiaqi Zhang
author_facet Xiyan Chen
Gehui Shi
Xu Yan
Jinghong Wu
Ting Peng
Manzhu Bao
Jiaqi Zhang
author_sort Xiyan Chen
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The SQUAMOUS PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN-LIKE (SPL) gene family encodes plant-specific transcription factors that regulate diverse physiological processes, including growth, flowering, and stress responses. A total of 32 PaSPL genes were identified and characterized in the genome of Platanus × acerifolia, an ancient hexaploid species widely cultivated as a street tree. The PaSPL genes were classified into nine distinct groups based on their phylogenetic relationship. Gene structure examination revealed considerable variation in intron number and length among groups. Cis-regulatory element analysis indicated that the promoter regions of PaSPLs are enriched with light-responsive elements. Expression profiling across different tissues and developmental stages demonstrated that the PaSPL genes harboring a site targeted by microRNA156 exhibited stage-specific expression patterns, while those in the Groups II, III, V, and IX displayed tissue-specific expression. Notably, several PaSPL genes exhibited dynamic expression during floral transition, implicating their role in flowering regulation. Among them, PaSPL8a, a Group III member, was differentially expressed in flowerless germplasm resources. Functional characterization demonstrated that PaSPL8a overexpression in Arabidopsis thaliana accelerated flowering and upregulated key flowering regulators. These findings provide mechanistic insights into the function of PaSPLs in P. × acerifolia and establish PaSPL8a as a positive regulator of flowering.
format Article
id doaj-art-e67961dbbda44694862ae380823f4ddc
institution OA Journals
issn 2948-1104
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Springer
record_format Article
series Horticulture Advances
spelling doaj-art-e67961dbbda44694862ae380823f4ddc2025-08-20T02:28:08ZengSpringerHorticulture Advances2948-11042025-04-013111510.1007/s44281-025-00066-7Genome-wide analysis of the SPL gene family in Platanus × acerifolia and functional characterization of PaSPL8a in floweringXiyan Chen0Gehui Shi1Xu Yan2Jinghong Wu3Ting Peng4Manzhu Bao5Jiaqi Zhang6National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural CropsHuanggang Polytechnic CollegeNational Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural CropsNational Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural CropsCollege of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural UniversityNational Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural CropsNational Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural CropsAbstract The SQUAMOUS PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN-LIKE (SPL) gene family encodes plant-specific transcription factors that regulate diverse physiological processes, including growth, flowering, and stress responses. A total of 32 PaSPL genes were identified and characterized in the genome of Platanus × acerifolia, an ancient hexaploid species widely cultivated as a street tree. The PaSPL genes were classified into nine distinct groups based on their phylogenetic relationship. Gene structure examination revealed considerable variation in intron number and length among groups. Cis-regulatory element analysis indicated that the promoter regions of PaSPLs are enriched with light-responsive elements. Expression profiling across different tissues and developmental stages demonstrated that the PaSPL genes harboring a site targeted by microRNA156 exhibited stage-specific expression patterns, while those in the Groups II, III, V, and IX displayed tissue-specific expression. Notably, several PaSPL genes exhibited dynamic expression during floral transition, implicating their role in flowering regulation. Among them, PaSPL8a, a Group III member, was differentially expressed in flowerless germplasm resources. Functional characterization demonstrated that PaSPL8a overexpression in Arabidopsis thaliana accelerated flowering and upregulated key flowering regulators. These findings provide mechanistic insights into the function of PaSPLs in P. × acerifolia and establish PaSPL8a as a positive regulator of flowering.https://doi.org/10.1007/s44281-025-00066-7SPL gene familyPlatanus × acerifoliafloweringoverexpression
spellingShingle Xiyan Chen
Gehui Shi
Xu Yan
Jinghong Wu
Ting Peng
Manzhu Bao
Jiaqi Zhang
Genome-wide analysis of the SPL gene family in Platanus × acerifolia and functional characterization of PaSPL8a in flowering
Horticulture Advances
SPL gene family
Platanus × acerifolia
flowering
overexpression
title Genome-wide analysis of the SPL gene family in Platanus × acerifolia and functional characterization of PaSPL8a in flowering
title_full Genome-wide analysis of the SPL gene family in Platanus × acerifolia and functional characterization of PaSPL8a in flowering
title_fullStr Genome-wide analysis of the SPL gene family in Platanus × acerifolia and functional characterization of PaSPL8a in flowering
title_full_unstemmed Genome-wide analysis of the SPL gene family in Platanus × acerifolia and functional characterization of PaSPL8a in flowering
title_short Genome-wide analysis of the SPL gene family in Platanus × acerifolia and functional characterization of PaSPL8a in flowering
title_sort genome wide analysis of the spl gene family in platanus acerifolia and functional characterization of paspl8a in flowering
topic SPL gene family
Platanus × acerifolia
flowering
overexpression
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s44281-025-00066-7
work_keys_str_mv AT xiyanchen genomewideanalysisofthesplgenefamilyinplatanusacerifoliaandfunctionalcharacterizationofpaspl8ainflowering
AT gehuishi genomewideanalysisofthesplgenefamilyinplatanusacerifoliaandfunctionalcharacterizationofpaspl8ainflowering
AT xuyan genomewideanalysisofthesplgenefamilyinplatanusacerifoliaandfunctionalcharacterizationofpaspl8ainflowering
AT jinghongwu genomewideanalysisofthesplgenefamilyinplatanusacerifoliaandfunctionalcharacterizationofpaspl8ainflowering
AT tingpeng genomewideanalysisofthesplgenefamilyinplatanusacerifoliaandfunctionalcharacterizationofpaspl8ainflowering
AT manzhubao genomewideanalysisofthesplgenefamilyinplatanusacerifoliaandfunctionalcharacterizationofpaspl8ainflowering
AT jiaqizhang genomewideanalysisofthesplgenefamilyinplatanusacerifoliaandfunctionalcharacterizationofpaspl8ainflowering