Genome-Wide Analysis of the / Gene Family in Provides Insights into Its Expression Patterns in Response to Ethylene and Methyl Jasmonate Treatments.

(TKS) is a model plant and a potential rubber-producing crop for the study of natural rubber (NR) biosynthesis. The precise analysis of the NR biosynthesis mechanism is an important theoretical basis for improving rubber yield. The small rubber particle protein (SRPP) and rubber elongation factor (REF) are located in the membrane of rubber particles and play crucial roles in rubber biosynthesis. However, the specific functions of the / gene family in the rubber biosynthesis mechanism have not been fully resolved. In this study, we performed a genome-wide identification of the 10 and 2 genes' family members of Russian dandelion and a comprehensive investigation on the evolution of the ethylene/methyl jasmonate-induced expression of the SRPP/REF gene family in TKS. Based on phylogenetic analysis, 12 TkSRPP/REFs proteins were divided into five subclades. Our study revealed one functional domain and 10 motifs in these proteins. The / protein sequences all contain typical REF structural domains and belong to the same superfamily. Members of this family are most closely related to the orthologous species and share the same distribution pattern of / genes in and , both of which belong to the family Asteraceae. Collinearity analysis showed that segmental duplication events played a key role in the expansion of the gene family. The expression levels of most / members were significantly increased in different tissues of after induction with ethylene and methyl jasmonate. These results will provide a theoretical basis for the selection of candidate genes for the molecular breeding of and the precise resolution of the mechanism of natural rubber production.