Genome-wide identification and characterization of the 14-3-3 family in Vitis vinifera L. during berry development and cold- and heat-stress response

Background: The 14-3-3 family of ubiquitous proteins in eukaryotes plays important roles in the regulation of various plant biological processes. However, less information is known about this family in grape fruit. Results: To investigate the characteristics and functions of 14-3-3 in grape, a total of 11 14-3-3 proteins were identified. Phylogenetic analysis of 14-3-3 proteins in grape (VviGRFs) with homologous proteins in Arabidopsis showed that these proteins were classified into two groups, namely, epsilon and non-epsilon groups. Epsilon group members commonly contained more introns and motifs than non-epsilon group, and some intron positions were found to be conserved between Vitis and Arabidopsis 14-3-3 genes. RNA-seq and qRT-PCR results indicated that VviGRF genes may be involved in the regulation of grape development and berry ripening. Moreover, six VviGRFs exhibited significantly up- or down-regulated expression in response to cold and heat stresses, thereby revealing their potential roles in the regulation of abiotic stress responses. Conclusions: This work provides fundamental knowledge for further studies about the biological roles of VviGRFs in grape development and abiotic stress response. The present result will also be beneficial for understanding their molecular mechanisms and improving grape agricultural traits in the future.