Identification of the AP2/ERF Gene Family in Potato and Expression Analysis in Response to Phytophthora infestans Stress

doi:10.13560/j.cnki.biotech.bull.1985.2025-0798

Abstract

Abstract:

Objective To identify the AP2/ERF transcription factor family genes in the whole genome of potato (Solanum tuberosum) and analyze their expression patterns in different tissues and under Phytophthora infestans stress, this study aimed to provide a basis for elucidating the involvement of AP2/ERF family genes in potato responses to P. infestans infection. Method Bioinformatics approaches were used to systematically identify AP2/ERF family members in potato, followed by analyses of their phylogeny, chromosomal localization, gene structure, conserved motifs, and collinearity relationships. Combined with previously published transcriptome data, tissue-specific expression profiles and P. infestans-responsive expression patterns of these genes were characterized. Potato plants were inoculated with P. infestans at 0, 24, 48, and 72 h, and RT-qPCR was performed to detect differential expression of selected family members. Result A total of 179 AP2/ERF genes were identified in potato, which were clustered into 5 subfamilies and unevenly distributed across 12 chromosomes. Significant differences in motif, intron, and exon distributions were observed among subfamilies. Intraspecific collinearity analysis revealed 57 pairs of collinear AP2/ERF genes, while interspecific collinearity analysis identified 69 and 164 homologous gene pairs with rice (Oryza sativa) and Arabidopsis respectively. Tissue expression analysis indicated that AP2/ERF genes were involved in both vegetative and reproductive growth, with some showing tissue-specific high expression. Under P. infestans stress, most AP2/ERF genes were induced to varying degrees. Conclusion The AP2/ERF transcription factor family plays roles in potato growth and development, and rapidly responds to P. infestans stress.

Key words: Solanum? tuberosum, AP2/ERF transcription factor, bioinformatics, Phytophthora infestans stress

WANG Jiang-qing, ZHANG Die, WANG Hui-jie, YUAN Zhu-dong, FU Yan-hong, HUANG Ya-nan, WANG Hong-yang. Identification of the AP2/ERF Gene Family in Potato and Expression Analysis in Response to Phytophthora infestans Stress[J]. Biotechnology Bulletin, 2026, 42(6): 116-127.

Figures/Tables 8

Table 1 Primers for RT-qPCR

基因名称 Gene name	orwardprimer（5'-3'）上游引物 F	everseprimer（5'-3'）下游引物 R
StERF3	CCCCATCACCACCTGCTAAG	ACTAGCAACGGGCATTTCCA
StERF13	TATGAGATGCCCCGTTTGGG	CCACGGTCGACTCTGTTGAT
StERF101	AGGCACTTCGTGAGGAAACC	CTGAAGGGGAAACTGAGCCC
StERF76	ACGGATGAGGAAGTGGGGTA	AGCGGTATCGTAAGCACGAG
StERF74	GTCGCCACCAAAACCCTCTA	GGGGAAGTTCAGTCGAGCAA
StERF55	GGGGGATCAGACAGAGACCT	TCTTGATGCAGGTGCTGGAG
StERF116	GCTCGAGCTCATGATGTTGC	TAACTGCCGCCTGTCGTATG
StERF32	GGGACTCGGGTTTGGTTAGG	CACCGGCTGTGGAATCTCAA
StERF123	GGCGGAAGCTGAAGAAGAGA	CGAACAGCCAAGGTGAGGAG
StEF1	ATTGGAAACGGATATGCTCCA	TCCTTACCTGAACGCCTGTCA

Fig. 1 Phylogenetic tree of the AP2/ERF family in Solanum tuberosum and Arabidopsis thaliana

Fig. 2 Phylogenetic tree (A), conserved motif (B), conserved domain (C), and gene structure(D) of AP2/ERF gene familyD: The green rectangles indicate non-coding sequences, the yellow rectangles indicate exons, and the black lines represent introns

Fig. 3 Distribution of potato AP2/ERF genes on chromosomesChr01-Chr12 refer to chromosome 1 to 12. The black lines indicate the chromosomal locations of the AP2/ERF genes

Fig. 4 Collinearity analysis between AP2/ERF genes of potato (A), and collinearity analysis of AP2/ERF genes in S. tuberosum, O. sativa and A. thaliana (B)

Fig. 5 Tissue expression heat map of AP2/ERF family genes in S. tuberosum

Fig. 6 Expression heat map of AP2/ERF family genes in S. tuberosum following P. infestans infectionⅠ: Expressions of resistant S. tuberosum before infection with P. infestans. Ⅱ: Expressions of resistant S. tuberosum at 1-2 d after infection with P. infestans. Ⅲ: Expressions of susceptible S. tuberosum before infection with P. infestans. Ⅳ: Expressions of susceptible potato at 1-2 d after infection with P. infestans. The expressions of genes were transformed to log₂(FPKM) values for subsequent visualization and analysis

Fig. 7 Expression patterns of nine AP2/ERF genes at different time points after P. infestans infection*P0.05, ** P0.01 (compared with 0 h, Student’s t-test)

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