GENOME WIDE CHARACTERIZATION AND EXPRESSION ANALYSIS OF ZINC RIBBON GENE FAMILY IN GOSSYPIUM HIRSUTUM L. UNDER SALINITY STRESS

A Zinc ribbon (ZR) protein family is a part of the DNL-type protein, which plays a crucial role against abiotic stresses.Here, a total of six ZR proteins were identified in G. hirsutum, and based on their chromosome location, each gene was found on a separate chromosome.The subcellular localization analysis suggested that most proteins were found in the chloroplast.The phylogenetic tree was constructed of 13 different plant species, revealing that two genes, Gh_ZR_A05 and Gh_ZR_A12, had the same ancestor, suggesting their possible functional conservation in cotton.Moreover, the zf-DNL was found in all genes in the domain analysis.The promoter analysis revealed the presence of MYB, SP1, ABRE, and G-box elements in upland cotton, indicating their role in stress and hormone signaling.Interestingly, motif 3 was found in 4 different genes, and sequence logos analysis showed that most of the amino acids were conserved.The in-silico expression analysis revealed that Gh_D01G109400.1 was upregulated under salt stress.Further qRT-PCR analysis confirms the role of this gene under salt stress by showing upregulation at 3h and 6h.Overall, this study provides comprehensive and valuable insights into the ZR gene family in cotton.