Genome-wide identification and expression profile of YABBY genes in .

Background: Members of the plant-specific YABBY gene family are thought to play an important role in the development of leaf, flower, and fruit. The YABBY genes have been characterized and regarded as vital contributors to fruit development in and tomato, in contrast to that in the important tropical economic fruit star fruit (), even though its genome is available.

Methods: In the present study, a total of eight YABBY family genes (named from to ) were identified from the genome of star fruit, and their phylogenetic relationships, functional domains and motif compositions, physicochemical properties, chromosome locations, gene structures, protomer elements, collinear analysis, selective pressure, and expression profiles were further analyzed.

Results: Eight genes () were clustered into five clades and were distributed on five chromosomes, and all of them had undergone negative selection. Tandem and fragment duplications rather than WGD contributed to YABBY gene number in the star fruit. Expression profiles of from different organs and developmental stages of fleshy fruit indicated that may play a specific role in regulating fruit size. These results emphasize the need for further studies on the functions of in fruit development.