Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Profiling of Germin-Like Proteins Reveal Their Role in Regulating Abiotic Stress Response in Potato.

Germin and germin-like proteins (GLPs) perform a significant role in plants against biotic and abiotic stress. To understand the role of GLPs in potato, a comprehensive genome-wide analysis was performed in the potato genome. This study identified a total of 70 genes in the potato genome, distributed among 11 chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis exhibited that were categorized into six groups with high bootstrap values. gene structure and motifs analysis showed a relatively well-maintained intron-exon and motif formation within the cognate group. Additionally, several -elements in the promoter regions of were hormones, and stress-responsive and different families of miRNAs target . Gene duplication under selection pressure also exhibited positive and purifying selections in . In our results, the gene showed the highest expression in response to salt stress among all expressed . Totally 19 genes were expressed in response to heat stress. Moreover, three genes, , , and , exhibited a relatively higher expression level in the potato after heat treatment. In total, 22 genes expressed in response to abscisic acid (ABA) treatment indicated that ABA performed an essential role in the plant defense or tolerance mechanism to environmental stress. RNA-Seq data validated by RT-qPCR also confirm that the gene showed maximum expression among selected genes under salt stress. Concisely, our results provide a platform for further functional exploration of the against salt and heat stress conditions.