Genome-Wide identification of Heavy-metal ATPases genes in Areca catechu: Investigating their functionality under heavy metal exposure

Abstract

Heavy-metal ATPases (HMAs) play a vital role in plants, helping in the transportation of heavy metal ions across cell membranes. However, insufficient data exists concerning HMAs genes within the Arecaceae family. In this study, 12 AcHMA genes were identified within the genome of Areca catechu, grouped into two main clusters based on their phylogenetic relationships. Genomic distribution analysis reveals that the AcHMA genes were unevenly distributed across six chromosomes. We further analyzed their physicochemical properties, collinearity, and gene structure. Furthermore, RNA-seq data analysis exhibited varied expressions in different tissues of A. catechu and found that AcHMA1, AcHMA2, and AcHMA7 were highly expressed in roots, leaves, pericarp, and male/female flowers. A total of six AcHMA candidate genes were selected based on gene expression pattern, and their expression in the roots and leaves was determined using RT-qPCR under heavy metal stress. Results showed that the expression levels of AcHMA1 and AcHMA3 genes were significantly up-regulated under Cd2 + and Zn2 + stress. Similarly, in response to Cu2+, the AcHMA5 and AcHMA8 revealed the highest expression in roots and leaves, respectively. In conclusion, this study will offer a foundation for exploring the role of the HMAs gene family in dealing with heavy metal stress conditions in A. catechu.