Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Pattern Profiling of the Aquaporin Gene Family in Papaya ( L.).

Aquaporins (AQPs) are mainly responsible for the transportation of water and other small molecules such as CO and HO and they perform diverse functions in plant growth, in development, and under stress conditions. They are also active participants in cell signal transduction in plants. However, little is known about AQP diversity, biological functions, and protein characteristics in papaya. To better understand the structure and function of in papaya, a total of 29 were identified and classified into five subfamilies. Analysis of gene structure and conserved motifs revealed that exhibited a degree of conservation, with some differentiation among subfamilies. The predicted interaction network showed that the PIP subfamily had the strongest protein interactions within the subfamily, while the SIP subfamily showed extensive interaction with members of the PIP, TIP, NIP, and XIP subfamilies. Furthermore, the analysis of ' promoters revealed a large number of -elements participating in light, hormone, and stress responses. exhibited different expression patterns in various tissues and under different stress conditions. Collectively, these results provided a foundation for further functional investigations of in ripening, as well as leaf, flower, fruit, and seed development. They also shed light on the potential roles of genes in response to environmental factors, offering valuable insights into their biological functions in papaya.