An investigation of the protein phosphatase 2C (AlPP2C) gene family in halophile plant, Aeluropus littoralis

From prokaryotes to higher eukaryotes, protein phosphatase 2Cs (PP2Cs) play a critical role in the stress response. For the purpose of identifying the AlPP2C gene and examining its expression, Aeluropus littoralis, a salt-secreting halophytic grass belonging to the Poaceae family, was genome-wildly analyzed. Based on the unique structure of the PP2C domain, 34 AlPP2C genes were discovered and classified into ten evolutionary branches based on homology with Arabidopsis thaliana. According to exon-intron structural analyses, they possessed a wide range of exon counts. AlPP2Cs shared similar motif organization in the same evolutionary branches based on motif distribution. The motifs ABRE, MBS, DRE, STRE, and LTR, which are related with stress, were discovered in the promoter region of the AlPP2C. AlPP2Cs displayed varied expression patterns in leaf and root tissues in response to salt stress and recovery conditions, according to transcriptome analyses. The AlPP2C4 gene is only expressed in the root tissues. These results expand our understanding of the PP2C gene family and provide valuable information for future research on PP2Cs molecular function and biological processes studies.