Genome-wide identification of the AP2/ERF gene family in Rosa persica and expression profiling under abiotic stresses

Background Rosa persica , the sole species in the subgenus Hulthemia of Rosaceae, thrives in the barren Gobi Desert, where its harsh environment has driven the evolution of exceptional stress-resistant traits, making it a valuable germplasm resource for studying extreme drought adaptation. With the recent completion of its telomere-to-telomere (T2T) genome assembly, an increasing number of stress-responsive gene families have been systematically characterized in R. persica . However, despite being one of the most critical transcription factor superfamilies involved in plant stress responses, the AP2/ERF superfamily has not yet been comprehensively identified or functionally analyzed in this extremophyte species, warranting in-depth investigation. Results Through comprehensive genome-wide analysis, we identified 114 AP2/ERF members in R. persica , which were classified into five subfamilies: AP2, DREB, ERF, RAV, and Soloist. The expression profiles of these AP2/ERF genes exhibited distinct tissue specificity. Notably, A005041.1 , A008193.1 , A013003.1 , and A014479.1 were exclusively expressed in roots, while A001403.1 and A026890.1 showed stem-specific expression. Seven genes ( A011282.1 , A010347.1 , A014504.1 , A025658.1 , A025595.1 , A002755.1 , and A024668.1 ) were simultaneously responsive to both drought and low temperature stress in R. persica . Among the ERF and DREB subfamilies, the abiotic stress-related genes A002909.1 , A014504.1 , A002755.1 , A010645.1 , and A009162.1 demonstrated transcriptional activation activity in yeast assays, whereas A005829.1 and A024668.1 lacked such activity. Conclusion This study provides the first systematic identification and characterization of the AP2/ERF gene family in R. persica , revealing key members involved in drought and cold stress responses. Our findings establish a theoretical foundation for elucidating the functional mechanisms of AP2/ERF genes in this extremophyte species and their roles in stress adaptation.