Genome-wide identification and characterization of the Phenylalanine Ammonia-lyase (PAL) gene family in Medicago truncatula

Abstract

Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) catalyzes the rate-limiting step of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis in plants and supplies precursors for a variety of secondary metabolites, such as flavonoids, lignins and stilbenes. The first draft of the full Medicago truncatula genome assembly has been released. However it is observed that, the PAL gene family from Medicago truncatula (MtPAL genes) has not been characterized in detail. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of the Medicago truncatula PAL gene family is presented, including chromosomal locations, phylogenetic analyses, gene structures, three-dimensional (3D) structures and expression patterns. Six Medicago truncatula PAL genes that encode PAL proteins were identified in the Medicago truncatula genome. It was shown that MtPAL genes are distributed on four chromosomes. Dynamic expression patterns of MtPAL genes were observed in different tissues and abiotic stresses, suggesting that MtPAL genes may play important roles in the regulation of development and stress responses in Medicago truncatula.

Phenylalanine Ammonia-Lyase (PAL) Genes Family in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.): Genome-Wide Characterization and Expression Profiling

“…PAL serves as the first enzyme in the phenylpropanoid pathway and in flavonoid biosynthesis that catalyzes the deamination of phenylalanine [1,24,45,60,61]. Recently, these enzymes have been reported by many researchers in different crops, including Juglans regia [62], Citrus reticulata [63], Citrullus lanatus [64], and Medicago truncatula [65]. This study was an investigation of PAL in wheat.…”

“…The duplication events might have caused the expansion and dispersion of PAL genes giving rise to potential sources of functional variability in common wheat. Gene duplication events may have caused the significant increase in PAL genes in T. aestivum, as stated in recent studies on different species [16,42,65]. The isolation and identification of PAL genes in T. aestivum is critical because of their importance in adaption and stress resistance [1,71,72].…”

Two Medicago truncatula growth-promoting rhizobacteria capable of limiting in vitro growth of the Fusarium soil-borne pathogens modulate defense genes expression

“…In this study, we also checked expression of the 4 PAL genes in roots and leaves of 4-week-old M. truncatula seedlings. Earlier, Ren et al ( 2019 ), who studied the genome of M. truncatula (Jemalong) A17 (the plant used also in our research), identified 6 PAL genes that encode PAL. Among the 4 PAL genes we selected 3 ( MtPAL1, MtPAL2, MtPAL4) showed a higher expression level in 4-week-old M. truncatula seedling roots compared to leaves.…”

“…Since PAL is known to be a defense-related enzyme, we also checked whether the genes encoding this enzyme are expressed in roots and leaves of M. truncatula in response to soil inoculation by both bacteria . For the analysis, we selected 4 out of the 6 PAL genes identified in the genome of M. truncatula by Ren et al ( 2019 ) (Fig. 4 ).…”