Comprehensive Analysis of SnRK Gene Family in Cicer arietinum L.

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Articles

Authors

Fahimeh Moloudi

Nasrin Moshtaghi

Alireza Seifi

Department of Biotechnology and Plant Breeding, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

10.22067/jcmr.2026.97904.1129

Abstract

Sucrose non-fermentation-related protein kinase gene family, known as SnRK, encodes serine/threonine protein kinases. They play crucial and diverse roles in plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity and pathogen attacks. These kinases are involved in various signaling pathways that help plants adapt to adverse environmental conditions. The SnRK family is categorized into three main subfamilies: SnRK1, SnRK2 and SnRK3. Among these, SnRK1 is highly conserved and extensively studied across various plant species. In contrast, SnRK2 and SnRK3 are only plant-specific. In this study, we performed a comprehensive genome-wide analysis of the SnRK gene family in chickpea (Cicer arietinum). Previously, 11 CaSnRK genes had been reported. Our investigation led to the successful identification of new 14 CaSnRK genes, which were annotated based on sequence homology with Arabidopsis SnRK genes. Phylogenetic analysis grouped these genes into three distinct clades corresponding to the three subfamilies, with CaSnRK2 and CaSnRK3 further subdivided into two subgroups each. Gene structure analysis revealed significant variation in intron numbers, particularly within the CaSnRK3 subfamily. Motif composition was found to be specific and highly conserved within each subfamily. Chromosomal localization showed that these genes are distributed across seven of the eight chickpea chromosomes. Overall, our study presents a detailed genomic overview of the SnRK family in chickpea, contributing significantly to a better understanding of their evolutionary relationships and potential functional roles in stress tolerance. We identified a total of 25 CaSnRK genes and classified them into three distinct subgroups based on phylogenetic and structural analyses .

Keywords

Cicer arietinum

Gene

Protein kinase

Phylogenetic

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