Genome-Wide Identification and Comparative Analysis of the TCP Transcription Factor Family in Three Glycyrrhiza Species Reveals GuTCP16 as a Positive Regulator of Salt Tolerance.
- 1School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinjiang Second Medical College, Karamay 834000, China.
- 2College of Life Sciences, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832003, China.
- 3School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832003, China.
Abstract
The TCP transcription factor family is a plant-specific group of regulators with well-documented roles in mediating abiotic stress responses. Licorice (Glycyrrhiza) is a high-value medicinal crop of global economic significance, predominantly cultivated in arid and semi-arid environments where saline soils constrain seed germination, impair seedling development, and diminish both rhizome biomass and the accumulation of pharmacologically active metabolites. Despite the agronomic importance of this genus, a systematic genome-wide survey of the TCP family and its contribution to salt tolerance in Glycyrrhiza has not been reported. Here, we identified members of the TCP gene family at the whole-genome level in three representative species-G. uralensis, G. inflata, and G. glabra-and performed integrated bioinformatic characterization encompassing phylogenetic classification, chromosomal distribution, conserved motif architecture, physicochemical parameters, cis-regulatory element composition, and synteny analysis. Transcriptomic profiling revealed that Glycyrrhiza TCP genes display pronounced tissue-specific expression and undergo dynamic transcriptional reprogramming under saline conditions. Among the salt-responsive candidates, GuTCP16 emerged as a key regulator; it was confirmed to localize to the nucleus, and its heterologous expression in Arabidopsis enhanced plant performance under salt stress, demonstrating that GuTCP16 acts as a positive modulator of salt tolerance. Taken together, this work delineates the evolutionary features and functional diversification of the TCP family in Glycyrrhiza and identifies candidate genes to support molecular breeding efforts aimed at developing salt-resilient licorice cultivars.
Related
- Genome-Wide Identification and Functional Validation of the Cold-Tolerance WRKY Transcription Factor in Sweetpotato
- Genome-Wide Identification of the ZmNF-Y Transcription Factor Family in Maize and Functional Characterization of ZmNF-YA7 in Drought Tolerance
- The Core Circadian Clock Gene PiLUX, a MYB-Family Transcription Factor, Enhances Cold Tolerance in Plumbago indica L.
- The transcription factor THAP11 is a general regulator of early embryonic polarization
- Conditionally Significant eQTL and TWAS Analyses Identify MsRD26 as a Major Candidate Positive Regulator of Salt Tolerance in Medicago sativa L
BibTeX
@article{feng2026genomewide,
title = {{Genome-Wide Identification and Comparative Analysis of the TCP Transcription Factor Family in Three Glycyrrhiza Species Reveals GuTCP16 as a Positive Regulator of Salt Tolerance.}},
author = {Jianting Feng and Kaihua Wei and Xiaomin Xu and Jingyi Zhao and Chunmei Xia and Shi Dong},
journal = {International journal of molecular sciences},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3390/ijms27198446},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42883694},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Genome-Wide Identification and Comparative Analysis of the TCP Transcription Factor Family in Three Glycyrrhiza Species Reveals GuTCP16 as a Positive Regulator of Salt Tolerance.
AU - Jianting Feng
AU - Kaihua Wei
AU - Xiaomin Xu
AU - Jingyi Zhao
AU - Chunmei Xia
AU - Shi Dong
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/22
JO - International journal of molecular sciences
DO - 10.3390/ijms27198446
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42883694
AB - The TCP transcription factor family is a plant-specific group of regulators with well-documented roles in mediating abiotic stress responses. Licorice (Glycyrrhiza) is a high-value medicinal crop of global economic significance, predominantly cultivated in arid and semi-arid environments where saline soils constrain seed germination, impair seedling development, and diminish both rhizome biomass and the accumulation of pharmacologically active metabolites. Despite the agronomic importance of this genus, a systematic genome-wide survey of the TCP family and its contribution to salt tolerance in Glycyrrhiza has not been reported. Here, we identified members of the TCP gene family at the whole-genome level in three representative species-G. uralensis, G. inflata, and G. glabra-and performed integrated bioinformatic characterization encompassing phylogenetic classification, chromosomal distribution, conserved motif architecture, physicochemical parameters, cis-regulatory element composition, and synteny analysis. Transcriptomic profiling revealed that Glycyrrhiza TCP genes display pronounced tissue-specific expression and undergo dynamic transcriptional reprogramming under saline conditions. Among the salt-responsive candidates, GuTCP16 emerged as a key regulator; it was confirmed to localize to the nucleus, and its heterologous expression in Arabidopsis enhanced plant performance under salt stress, demonstrating that GuTCP16 acts as a positive modulator of salt tolerance. Taken together, this work delineates the evolutionary features and functional diversification of the TCP family in Glycyrrhiza and identifies candidate genes to support molecular breeding efforts aimed at developing salt-resilient licorice cultivars.
SN - 1422-0067
ER -