Genome-wide identification of the OVATE family proteins and functional analysis of BhiOFP1, BhiOFP5, and BhiOFP18 during fruit development in wax gourd (Benincasa hispida).

OVATE family proteins (OFPs) are transcriptional regulators in plants. They have a common domain called the OVATE domain and control the development of leaves, fruits, and flowers in plants. Although the OFP gene family has been widely explored in the plant kingdom, the identification and characterization of this family have not yet been performed in wax gourd.

Genome-Wide Identification of the Gene Family in Wax Gourd () and Functional Characterization of during Fruit Development.

The wax gourd () is an important vegetable crop whose fruits contain nutrients and metabolites. () genes constitute the largest early auxin-responsive gene family and regulate various biological processes in plants, although this gene family has not been studied in the wax gourd. Here, we performed genome-wide identification of the gene family in wax gourds and analyzed their syntenic and phylogenetic relationships, gene structures, conserved motifs, -acting elements, and expression patterns.