Genome-Wide Identification, Characterization, and Expression Analysis of the DMP Gene Family in Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

Members of DOMAIN OF UNKNOWN FUNCTION 679 membrane proteins (DMPs) have the DUF679 domain, which plays an important role in the process of plant fertilization. In this study, bioinformatics methods were used to identify and analyze the DMP gene family in pepper. The location of the expression of the DMP gene family was explored according to the transient expression of Nicotiana benthamiana, and its expression patterns in different tissues and abiotic stress treatments were analyzed by qRT-PCR. A total of 17 CaDMP genes were identified from the three capsicum varieties, and sub-cellular localization prediction showed that CaDMPs were located on the cell membrane. Phylogenetic analysis showed that CaDMP5 in subgroup IV was highly homologous with haploid induction genes in Arabidopsis and maize, and its expression level in reproductive organs was significantly higher than that in other tissues, suggesting that CaDMP5 could be a candidate gene for haploid induction in pepper. The expression of CaDMPs increased to varying degrees after different stress treatments, indicating that the DMP gene plays an important role in plant growth and development. The CaDMP gene family was systematically analyzed in this study, which provided preliminary insights for the further research of Capsicum haploid breeding.