Expression analysis and characterization of the CPP gene family of Melatonin-treated common bean cultivars under different abiotic stresses

Cysteine-rich polycomb-like protein (CPP) transcription factors, which are prevalent in plants and animals but absent in prokaryotes and fungi, play a significant role in response to various abiotic stresses and the regulation of cell division and development of reproductive tissues in plants. Plants can not avoid environmental challenges because they are soil-bound organisms. Therefore, they activate physiological, pharmacological, and molecular stress defence mechanisms. Among the molecular defence systems is the repression or stimulation of the expression of specific genes or gene families by particular transcription factors. Identification of these gene families is of great importance. The CPP gene family has been identified in some plants but not in beans. This study aimed to identify and characterize the CPP genes in the P. vulgaris genome and investigate them using various bioinformatics tools on a genome-wide scale. Expression levels of melatonin and stress factors PvCPP genes were determined by qRT-PCR analysis. Seven CPP genes have been identified in the Phaseolus vulgaris genome. Except for the PvCPP7 gene, the other PvCPP genes contain two CXC domains. The CPP genes of Phaseolus vulgaris, Arabidopsis thaliana, and Glycine max were analyzed for their phylogenetic relationships and were separated into three distinct groups. In qRT-PCR analysis, 5 CPP genes were studied and their expression levels in stress and melatonin applications were determined and differences in expression levels of PvCPP genes were observed in all treatments. The information generated from this study will serve as a foundation for future functional genomics research by understanding the structure and function of CPP genes in bean genotypes.