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<p>Sweet sorghum (<i>Sorghum bicolor</i> L.) cv. Rio is a high-sugar cultivar with considerable potential for bioenergy production and climate-resilient agriculture. Understanding the genetic architecture of key regulatory gene families is essential for effective utilization and improvement of sorghum germplasm. Basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factors represent a conserved regulatory family involved in plant development and stress adaptation; however, their diversity and evolutionary dynamics in high-sugar sorghum cultivars remain poorly explored. In this study, a genome-wide identification and characterization of bZIP genes was conducted in <i>S. bicolor</i> cv. Rio. A total of 40 SbZIP genes were identified and classified into four clades based on phylogenetic relationships. Gene structure, conserved motifs, and domain organization showed strong conservation within clades, indicating functional divergence shaped by evolutionary constraints. Duplication analysis revealed that segmental duplication, followed by purifying selection (Ka/Ks &lt; 1), has been a major driver of SbZIP family expansion. Promoter analysis uncovered diverse cis-regulatory elements associated with phytohormone signaling and abiotic stress responses, highlighting their potential roles in environmental adaptability. Comparative synteny analysis demonstrated closer evolutionary conservation with <i>Oryza sativa</i> than with <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>, reflecting monocot-specific evolutionary trajectories. Network analysis further identified key hub genes (<i>SbZIP-21, SbZIP-14, SbZIP-24, and SbZIP-34</i>) that may play central roles in transcriptional regulation. Overall, this study provides insights into the evolutionary diversification and functional potential of bZIP transcription factors in sweet sorghum. These findings contribute to the genetic resource base of sorghum and offer candidate genes for future breeding programs aimed at improving stress tolerance and bioenergy-related traits.</p>

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Genome-wide characterization and evolutionary analysis of bZIP transcription factors in sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. cv. Rio) with implications for genetic improvement

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月19日

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  • Jawad Ali,
  • Saman Zulfiqar,
  • Syeda Nazish Sohaib,
  • Ayesha Aslam,
  • Rashid Iqbal

摘要

Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) cv. Rio is a high-sugar cultivar with considerable potential for bioenergy production and climate-resilient agriculture. Understanding the genetic architecture of key regulatory gene families is essential for effective utilization and improvement of sorghum germplasm. Basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factors represent a conserved regulatory family involved in plant development and stress adaptation; however, their diversity and evolutionary dynamics in high-sugar sorghum cultivars remain poorly explored. In this study, a genome-wide identification and characterization of bZIP genes was conducted in S. bicolor cv. Rio. A total of 40 SbZIP genes were identified and classified into four clades based on phylogenetic relationships. Gene structure, conserved motifs, and domain organization showed strong conservation within clades, indicating functional divergence shaped by evolutionary constraints. Duplication analysis revealed that segmental duplication, followed by purifying selection (Ka/Ks < 1), has been a major driver of SbZIP family expansion. Promoter analysis uncovered diverse cis-regulatory elements associated with phytohormone signaling and abiotic stress responses, highlighting their potential roles in environmental adaptability. Comparative synteny analysis demonstrated closer evolutionary conservation with Oryza sativa than with Arabidopsis thaliana, reflecting monocot-specific evolutionary trajectories. Network analysis further identified key hub genes (SbZIP-21, SbZIP-14, SbZIP-24, and SbZIP-34) that may play central roles in transcriptional regulation. Overall, this study provides insights into the evolutionary diversification and functional potential of bZIP transcription factors in sweet sorghum. These findings contribute to the genetic resource base of sorghum and offer candidate genes for future breeding programs aimed at improving stress tolerance and bioenergy-related traits.