Genome-Wide Identification and Analysis of the AP2/ERF Gene Family in Rhododendron hainanense and Its Response to Waterlogging Treatment

作者：Jiaxuan Shi, Enbo Wang, Wendi Deng, Minghui Zhai, Zidan Cao, Jian Wang, Xiqiang Song, Youhai Shi, Ying Zhao · 发表于：Forests · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.3390/f16111657 · 被引用次数：3 · 研究领域：Plant responses to water stress、Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics、Cassava research and cyanide

Rhododendron hainanense Merr. is a tropical flowering shrub valued for its strong orna-mental and medicinal properties; however, its horticultural application is limited by its susceptibility to waterlogging disasters. The AP2/ERF transcription factor family plays crucial roles in plant growth, development, and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses; however, its regulatory mechanism in response to waterlogging stress remains unclear. This study conducted a genome-wide analysis of the AP2/ERF transcription factor family in R. hainanense, identifying 142 RhAP2/ERFs genes distributed across 13 chromosomes and classified into five subfamilies. Conserved motif analysis confirmed the characteristic AP2 domain structure. Gene duplication events revealed 16 segmental duplication pairs, indicating a potential role in adaptive evolution. Cis-element and protein interaction analyses suggested involvement in abiotic stress responses. Transcriptome and qRT-PCR results under waterlogging stress showed significant up-regulation of RhERF9 and RhERF95, with RhERF9 expression increasing 130-fold after 3 days, implying a positive regulatory role for the RhERF9 protein in early waterlogging response. Tissue-specific expression highlighted RhERF9’s strong induction in roots, associated with aerenchyma formation and hypoxia adaptation. The identified candidate AP2/ERF genes in R. hainanense play important roles in abiotic stress resistance and lay a foundation for future applications in breedin...