[Expression pattern and transcriptional regulation of in ].

The gene is a member of the bHLH family, playing a pivotal role in plant germination. However, its roles in tea plants () remain largely unexplored. In this study, we cloned the phytochrome-interacting factor gene to elucidate its role in the germination of tea plants. Subcellular localization analysis demonstrated that CsPIF7 was localized in the nucleus. Yeast one-hybrid and dual-luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that directly bound to a specific region (7-321 bp) of the promoter, thereby repressing the expression of . These findings suggest that may modulate the germination of tea plants by inhibiting the expression of . Quantitative real-time PCR results showed that both and exhibited high expression levels in tea buds, with different expression patterns in response to abscisic acid (ABA) treatment. Furthermore, both and were upregulated under cold stress at 4 ℃, indicating their involvement in the cold response of tea plants. Taken together, these results suggest that regulates expression in an ABA-dependent manner, thereby influencing the germination of tea plants. This study provides both theoretical and experimental insights into the molecular mechanisms governing the germination of tea plants, laying the groundwork for further exploring the role of in plant development and stress responses.