Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Profiling of the SRS Gene Family in Arabidopsis thaliana

Development & formation of several plant organs and regulating processes, including morphogenesis, signal transduction, and floral meristem determinacy, are regulated by the SRS (SHI -related sequence) transcription factor family. However, the functional contributions of SRS family genes in Arabidopsis related to phenology, hormone-mediated regulation, and abiotic stress adaptation have not been comprehensively elucidated. The objective of this study is to comprehensively investigate the SRS gene family in the Arabidopsis genome and to clarify their prospective functional roles in mediating responses to diverse hormonal signals and abiotic stress conditions. Comprehensive analyses were performed using multiple databases and bioinformatics platforms to assess chromosomal positioning, gene organization, conserved motifs & domains, structural homology, cis -acting regulatory elements, evolutionary relationships, duplication events, transcriptional expression patterns, and potential protein interaction networks. Through phylogenetic analysis, along with conserved domain (DUF702 and IGGH) and motif characterization, ten identified SRS genes in Arabidopsis were classified into two distinct groups: Group I (eight members) and Group II (two members). The results demonstrated that all the Arabidopsis chromosomes contain AtSRS genes and comprise 74 distinct cis acting regulatory elements in their distinct promoter regions, which facilitates a wide range of tissue expression patterns in response to various hormonal activities and abiotic stressors. Based on phylogenetic analysis, some AtSRS genes appear to have undergone functional diversification, while others may function similarly to their orthologs in other plant species. This study reveals the door to the determination of AtSRS gene-specific functions and the clarification of the mechanisms via which SRS genes regulate hormones, stress responses, floral formation and development, and lateral root formation.