Evolution and Expression Analysis of the CCCH Zinc Finger Gene Family in Vitis vinifera

Abstract

The CCCH‐type (C3H‐type) zinc finger (Znf) proteins are specific transcriptional factors containing a typical motif with three cysteine residues and one histidine residue. Increasing evidence suggests that members of this family play important roles in many biological processes functioning in RNA processing as RNA‐binding proteins. To date, few plant C3H genes have been functionally characterized. In the present study, a comprehensive analysis of C3H‐type Znf genes was performed in grapevine ( Vitis vinifera L.). A total of 69 C3H genes were identified in V. vinifera ( VvC3H1‐69 ), which clustered into 12 distinct phylogenetic subgroups. These genes were unevenly distributed on 19 grapevine chromosomes with 13 segmental duplication pairs and one tandem duplication pair. Thirty‐eight VvC3H proteins were predicted to putatively participate in nucleon‐cytoplasm shuttling and one was identified as a typical RNA‐binding protein. Expression profiling of the C3H genes indicated a pattern of differential expression of retained paralogous gene copies within V. vinifera . The information and data provided in the present study contributes to understand the evolutionary processes and potential functions of this gene family in grapevine growth and development, and responses to abiotic stress. The functional divergence and relationship to abiotic stresses of duplicate genes present in this family serves as a starting point.