Identification and expression profiles of tubby‑like proteins coding genes in Brassica rapa (B. rapa) in response to hormone and drought stress.

Background: Tubby-like proteins (TLPs) are a widespread multigene family found in single-celled to multicellular eukaryotes. Despite their significance, no reports of TLPs in B. rapa have been made up to this point.

Results: Herein, we identified 14 TLPs in the B. rapa genome and renamed them BrTUB1-BrTUB14 based on their chromosomal location. The bulk of BrTUB proteins contain two characteristic domains: the F-box and Tubby domains. Subcellular localization prediction confirmed that BrTUBs are localized in the nucleus. Expression profiling showed that many BrTUB reacts to a variety of stressors, including drought stress and hormonal treatments (ABA and ethylene). In particular, the BrTUB1 displayed elevated expression to ABA and the drought stress treatment.

Conclusion: This study is the first thorough identification of the BrTUB family, providing critical insights into its function and regulation, and laying the groundwork for future functional analyses, particularly concerning drought tolerance of B. rapa.