Bioinformatics and Expression Analysis of the LIM Gene Family in Apple

【Objective】 In order to lay a basis for the further functional research and application of MdLIM genes, this study were carried out to analyze the bioinformatics (e.g promoter action element, conserved domain, gene clustering, gene structure, chromosome localization) and expression of the LIM gene family in apple. 【Method】Based on the apple genome database GDR and PLAZA, the members of LIM gene were identified. The MdLIM amino acid sequence prediction, subcellular localization prediction, LIM domain analysis, and phylogenetic tree the gene structure were completed by ExPASy Proteomics Server, Cell-PLoc, CD-Search Tool, MEGA7, and GSDS, respectively. In addition, the expression pattern of MdLIM genes in different tissues and in peels with different degree of fruit russeting in samples was analyzed by real-time qRT-PCR.【Result】A total of eleven MdLIM genes were identified from apple genome. These MdLIM proteins contained 96-222 amino acid residues with isoelectric points ranging from 6.14 to 9.01. The results of subcellular localization showed that the apple LIM proteins were distributed in the nucleus. Analysis of promoter showed these 11 MdLIM genes contained cis-acting elements related to hormone responses, environmental adaptability and adversity induction. Conserved domains showed that ten MdLIM proteins had double LIM domains except MdLIM8. According to the phylogeny relationship, MdLIM genes were divided into four categories. The expression patterns of the 11 MdLIM genes in flowers, leaves, fruit peels and stems were determined by real-time RT-PCR, and the results showed that their diverse and specific expression could be detected in all of the four tissues, suggesting that they might play different roles in different tissues. 【Conclusion】Eleven MdLIM genes were identified from the whole genome of apple, and they could be divided into four groups, and distributed on 7 chromosomes with diverse and specific tissues expression patterns.