Genome-wide identification and analysis of TCP transcription factor family in Begonia masoniana

TCP (Teosinte branched1/Cycloidea/Proliferating cell factor) transcription factors are a plant-specific family of transcription factors that play important roles in plant morphological evolution and developmental control. Begonia masoniana is an important foliage plant with a unique leaf shape. Despite their importance, TCP gene family and its role in B. masoniana has not been studied. Using bioinformatics methods, we identified 35 BmaTCP genes and classified them into two classes based on phylogenetic analysis, gene structure, and conserved motif analysis. The promoter analysis revealed that the promoters of BmaTCPs contain various cis-acting elements associated with environment stress related, light response, hormone response, site-binding related, plant growth and development and biotic/abiotic stress responses. The expansion of BmaTCP family can be attributed to the occurrence of genome duplication events. We also investigated the expression patterns of seven Class II (CIN) BmaTCPs during different developmental stages of leaf margins and centers. Our findings suggest that CIN-type BmaTCPs may regulate leaf development processes and control leaf shape in B. masoniana. This study provides insights into the evolution and function of BmaTCPs, while laying the foundation for further functional validation.