Background
Capsicum annuum
, a significant agricultural and nutritional crop, faces production challenges due to its sensitivity to various abiotic stresses. Glyoxalase (GLY) and D-lactate dehydrogenase (D-LDH) enzymes play vital roles in mitigating these stresses by detoxifying the stress-induced cytotoxin, methylglyoxal (MG).
Methods
A genome-wide study was conducted to identify and characterize glyoxalase I (GLYI), glyoxalase II (GLYII), unique glyoxalase III or DJ-1 (GLYIII), and D-LDH gene candidates in
Capsicum annuum
. The identified members were evaluated based on their evolutionary relationships with known orthologues, as well as their gene and protein features. Their expression patterns were examined in various tissues, developmental stages, and in response to abiotic stress conditions using RNA-seq data and qRT-PCR.
Results
A total of 19 GLYI, 9 GLYII, 3 DJ-1, and 11 D-LDH members were identified, each featuring characteristic domains: glyoxalase, metallo-β-lactamase, DJ-1_PfpI, and FAD_binding_4, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis revealed distinct clades depending on functional diversification. Expression profiling demonstrated significant variability under stress conditions, underscoring their potential roles in stress modulation. Notably, gene-specific responses were observed with
CaGLYI-2
,
CaGLYI-7
,
CaGLYII-6
,
CaDJ-1 A
, and
CaDLDH-1
showed upregulation under salinity, drought, oxidative, heat, and cold stresses, while downregulation were shown for
CaGLYI-3
,
CaGLYII-1
,
CaDJ-1B
, and
CaDJ-1 C
. Remarkably,
CaGLYI-1
presented a unique expression pattern, upregulated against drought and salinity but downregulated under oxidative, heat, and cold stress.
Conclusion
The identified
GLY
and
D-LDH
gene families in
Capsicum annuum
exhibited differential expression patterns under different abiotic stresses. Specifically,
CaGLYI-2
,
CaGLYI-7
,
CaGLYII-6
,
CaDJ-1 A
, and
CaDLDH-1
were upregulated in response to all five analyzed abiotic stressors, highlighting their critical role in stress modulation amidst climate change. This study enhances our understanding of plant stress physiology and opens new avenues for developing stress-resilient crop varieties, crucial for sustainable agriculture.
Supplementary Information
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12870-024-05612-5.
