Cloning, expression, and in silico analysis of a novel annexin gene FtANX1 from Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn.)

Authors: LINGLI HOU, XUENI DONG, MENGQI DING, XUEMEI ZHU, JIRONG SHAO

Abstract: Annexins are generally thought to play an essential role in the regulation of plant growth, development, and stress responses. Here we describe an annexin gene from Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn.), designated as FtANX1. The full-length coding sequence of FtANX1 is 942 bp in size, encoding a polypeptide of 313 amino acids with a theoretical molecular mass of 36.0 kDa and pI 5.94. In silico analysis of the sequence revealed that FtANX1 contains four repeats, with a type-II Ca²⁺-binding site in repeat I. Expression pattern analysis provided evidence that FtANX1 was predominantly expressed in immature achenes, while its level was lowest in leaves. In addition, FtANX1 was found to be associated with stress responses in Tartary buckwheat, such as drought, cold, UV-B radiation, jasmonic acid, and heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, and Cd). Several stress-related regulatory elements (ABRE, W-box, GATA-box, and CuRE elements) were found by in silico analysis in the FtANX1 promoter region. Our results showed that FtANX1, a novel annexin gene, may play an important role in the growth and stress tolerance of Tartary buckwheat.

Keywords: Annexin, Tartary buckwheat, FtANX1, stress responses

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