Table 3_Genome-wide identification of GATA family genes in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) and their expression patterns under abiotic stress.xlsx

GATAs, a type of zinc finger protein transcription factors, can bind to DNA regulatory regions to control the expression of target genes, thereby affecting plant growth and development under normal conditions or environmental stress. However, the GATA gene family has not been identified in sweet potato. In this study, a total of 35, 33, 34, 39, 63, and 56 GATA genes were identified in sweet potato, Ipomoea aquatica, Ipomoea cairica, Ipomoea nil, Ipomoea triloba, and Ipomoea trifida, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis categorized the GATA genes into six groups according to their distinct features, and this classification was validated by the structural characteristics of exons/introns and conserved motif analysis. The cis-acting elements located in the promoter regions were also found to be enriched with biotic and abiotic responsive elements, which may play a pivotal role in plant stress adaptation. Then the gene duplication events and synteny between the genome of sweet potato and those of Ipomoea aquatica, Ipomoea cairica, Ipomoea nil, Ipomoea triloba, and Ipomoea trifida were analyzed, which provided insights into evolutionary mechanisms. Moreover, expression pattern analysis was performed on IbGATA genes, many of which were significantly induced by multiple types of abiotic stress, which may render these genes candidates for molecular breeding strategies in sweet potato. Overall, this experiment conducted a systematic exploration of GATA genes by investigating their evolutionary relationships, structural characteristics, functional properties, and expression patterns, thereby establishing a theoretical foundation for further in-depth research on the features of the GATA gene family.

GATA蛋白是一类锌指蛋白转录因子（zinc finger protein transcription factors），可结合DNA调控区域以控制靶基因的表达，进而在正常条件或环境胁迫下影响植物的生长发育。然而，目前尚未在甘薯中鉴定出GATA基因家族。本研究分别在甘薯、蕹菜（Ipomoea aquatica）、五爪金龙（Ipomoea cairica）、裂叶牵牛（Ipomoea nil）、三裂叶薯（Ipomoea triloba）及三浅裂野牵牛（Ipomoea trifida）中鉴定出35、33、34、39、63和56个GATA基因。系统发育分析（phylogenetic analysis）依据其独特特征将GATA基因划分为6个类群，该分类通过外显子/内含子（exon/intron）的结构特征及保守基序（conserved motif）分析得到验证。启动子区域的顺式作用元件（cis-acting elements）还富集了生物与非生物胁迫响应元件，这可能在植物胁迫适应过程中发挥关键作用。本研究进一步分析了甘薯基因组与上述其余5个物种基因组间的基因复制事件及共线性（synteny）关系，为解析其进化机制提供了重要见解。此外，对甘薯GATA基因（IbGATA）的表达模式进行分析发现，多数基因可被多种非生物胁迫显著诱导，这些基因可作为甘薯分子育种的候选靶标。总体而言，本研究通过系统探究GATA基因的进化关系、结构特征、功能属性及表达模式，为GATA基因家族的后续深入研究奠定了理论基础。