Growth-regulating factors (GRFs) are plant-specific transcription factors that have important functions in regulating plant growth and development. GRF gene families have been described in several plant species, but a comprehensive analysis of the GRF gene family in tobacco has not yet been reported. In this study, we identified 25 NtabGRF genes in N. tabacum. The gene structures, motifs, and cis-acting regulatory elements of the NtabGRF genes were analyzed. Phylogenetic analysis divided the genes into six clusters. Additionally, highly conserved regions of microsynteny were identified in all of the sequenced tobacco species. Expression analysis showed that NtabGRF genes were highly expressed in actively growing tissues and responded to various hormone treatments. Our results provide foundational information about the GRF gene family in tobacco species, and open the door for future research on the functions of these genes.

Myostatin (MSTN) is a member of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily (TGF-β) and is an important negative regulator of muscle growth in vertebrates. In this study, we cloned and analyzed the MSTN gene (Sc-MSTN) from razor clam (Sinonovacula constricta). The full length of Sc-MSTN cDNA sequence consists of 4226 base pairs (bp), comprising a 522-bp 5' untranslated region (UTR), a 2342-bp 3'UTR, and an open reading frame (ORF) that is 1362 in length. The ORF encodes 453 amino acids with a RXXR proteolytic site and nine conserved cysteines. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that the Sc-MSTN transcript was expressed in a wide range of tissues but appeared to exhibit the greatest level of expression in the foot. The transcript was widely detected in early developmental stages, showing the highest expression in the trochophore stage. Furthermore, six SNPs were identified in the coding region of the Sc-MSTN gene using direct sequencing. SNP-1 is non-synonymous and involves an amino acid change from Leu to Ser. Association analysis showed that SNP-1 and SNP-6 had significant influences on shell length (SL). The results suggested that MSTN could be selected as a candidate gene for the future molecular breeding of razor clam strains.

The Chinese soft-shelled turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) is a highly important freshwater aquaculture species in China. The molecular mechanisms underlying changes in immunity and growth in hybrid vigor are not well understood. In the present study, the transcriptomes from significantly different P. sinensis strains (Qingxi black turtle, B and Japanese strain, J) and the resulting hybrid (Zajiao-1, F) were sequenced using an Illumina sequencing platform. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between Zajiao-1 and the Qingxi black turtle were enriched mainly in the HTLV-I infection and Hippo signaling pathways, while DEGs between the Zajiao-1 and Japanese strain were enriched mainly in tryptophan metabolism, caner-associated pathways, transcriptional dysregulation in cancer, amebiasis, Fcγ-mediated phagocytosis and the peroxisome pathway. Highly expressed genes involved in the regulation of disorders of the fatty acid biosynthesis, immune and cardiovascular systems in P. sinensis were found among the DEGs. Enrichment categories for gene ontology included cellular processes, metabolic pathways, and the actin cytoskeleton pathway. The reliability of the sequencing data was verified through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis of 20 immunity or growth-related genes. These findings offer new insights into heterosis of growth traits and resistance to stresses and potential strategies for selective breeding.

Estuarine tapertail anchovy (Coilia nasus, junior synonym C. ectenes) is a widely distributed and commercially important aquaculture species, although its growth in aquaculture settings is so slow as to pose a serious practical problem. In order to understand the molecular mechanisms of growth, we cloned the myostatin gene in C. nasus (CnMSTN) by homologous cloning methods. Its full-length cDNA is 2252 bp, with a 1125-bp open reading frame (ORF) that encodes a 374-amino acid protein. The CnMSTN protein is predicted to contain domains typical of MSTN, including a TGFb-propeptide domain and a TGFB domain. Gene expression patterns were detected by RT-qPCR. CnMSTN is expressed strongly in the muscle and brain, and comparatively lower in the gills, liver, spleen, intestine, trunk kidney and head kidney. The effects of stress on the muscle and brain MSTN levels were evaluated by RT-qPCR. CnMSTN in the muscle was positively regulated by loading and transport stress, but brain CnMSTN expression was not affected. We found NaCl could reduce the death rate caused by loading and transporting stress, and in this group, CnMSTN mRNA expression in the muscle revealed increased, but decreased in the brain. Further, in the fasting experiment, the CnMSTN mRNA revealed decrease in the muscle, on the contrary, it showed increase in the brain. Selection upon variants of the MSTN gene has shown great potential in breeding work for mammals, and our results provide the basic knowledge for breeding of C. nasus.

Shaker-like potassium (K(+)) channels in plants play an important role in K(+) absorption and transport. In this study, we characterized a Shaker-like K(+) channel gene GhAKT1 from the roots of Gossypium hirsutum cv. Liaomian17. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the GhAKT1 belongs to the AKT1-subfamily in the Shaker-like K(+) channel family. Confocal imaging of a GhAKT1-green fluorescent fusion protein (GFP) in transgenic Arabidopsis plants indicated that GhAKT1 is localized in the plasma membrane. Transcript analysis located GhAKT1 predominantly in cotton leaves with low abundance in roots, stem and shoot apex. Similarly, β-glucuronidase (GUS) activity was detected in both leaves and roots of PGhAKT1::GUS transgenic Arabidopsis plants. In roots, the GUS signals appeared in the epidermis, cortex and endodermis and root hairs, suggesting the contribution of GhAKT1 to K(+) uptake. In leaves, GhAKT1 was expressed in differentiated leaf primordial as well as mesophyll cells and veins of expanded leaves, pointing to its involvement in cell elongation and K(+) transport and distribution in leaves. Severe K(+) deficiency did not affect the expression of GhAKT1 gene. GhAKT1-overexpression in either the Arabidopsis wild-type or akt1 mutant enhanced the growth of transgenic seedlings under low K(+) deficiency and raised the net K(+) influx in roots at 100μM external K(+) concentration, within the range of operation of the high-affinity K(+) uptake system. The application of 2mM BaCl2 resulted in net K(+) efflux in roots, and eliminated the differences between GhAKT1-overexpression lines and their acceptors indicating that the K(+) uptake mediated by GhAKT1 is also as Ba(2+)-sensitive as AtAKT1.

The myostatin (mstn) and myostatinb (mstnb) gene of Cranoglanis bouderius were cloned and sequenced and their expressions under nutritional restriction were characterized. The full cDNA sequences of mstn and mstnb were 1878 bp and 1928 bp, containing an open reading frame of 1170 bp and 1119 bp, which encoded 390 and 373 amino acids, respectively. The deduced mstn and mstnb sequence structures were similar to other members of TGF-β superfamily, including the TGF beta pro-peptide, TGF beta domain, proteolytic processing site and nine conserved cysteines in the C-terminal. In addition, four mstn gene duplications were found in Cranoglanis bouderius. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic tree analyses indicated that the mstn gene and mstnb gene had a close relationship with Siluriformes fish, and the mstn and mstnb genes were roughly classified into two groups. RT-PCR analysis revealed that the mstn and mstnb were expressed in a variety of tissues in Cranoglanis bouderius although the mstn was highly expressed in skeletal muscle and the mstnb was mainly expressed in brain. We speculate that the mstn gene but not mstnb is likely to play a key role in managing muscle growth. A fasting-re-feeding experiment was used to evaluate the effects of starvation on mstn and mstnb expressions in juvenile Cranoglanis bouderius for 5 weeks. The result showed that the mstn and mstnb transcript levels varied among tissues. The mRNA expression levels of mstn in muscle, brain and liver gradually decreased during starvation and returned to the normal level after re-feeding. The mstnb mRNA levels in muscle, brain, liver, spleen, intestine and kidney increased during an early fast time but ultimately decreased with prolonged fasting time. The mstnb transcript levels in muscle, brain and liver increased significantly after re-feeding. In summary, the results supported that the mstn and mstnb may not be limited to control of muscle growth in fish but could also be involved in other biological functions.

During a large-scale screen of the larval transcriptome library of the Portuguese oyster, Crassostrea angulata, the oyster gene RACK, which encodes a receptor of activated protein kinase C protein was isolated and characterized. The cDNA is 1,148 bp long and has a predicted open reading frame encoding 317 aa. The predicted protein shows high sequence identity to many RACK proteins of different organisms including molluscs, fish, amphibians and mammals, suggesting that it is conserved during evolution. The structural analysis of the Ca-RACK1 genomic sequence implies that the Ca-RACK1 gene has seven exons and six introns, extending approximately 6.5 kb in length. It is expressed ubiquitously in many oyster tissues as detected by RT-PCR analysis. The Ca-RACK1 mRNA expression pattern was markedly increased at larval metamorphosis; and was further increased along with Ca-RACK1 protein synthesis during epinephrine-induced metamorphosis. These results indicate that the Ca-RACK1 plays an important role in tissue differentiation and/or in cell growth during larval metamorphosis in the oyster, C. angulata.

Lysin motif (LysM)-containing proteins are a family of carbohydrate-binding modules and are generally regarded as chitin- and peptidoglycan-binding proteins. In the present study, a novel LysM-containing protein, designated as ChLysM, was cloned and identified in a marine mollusk, Crassostrea hongkongensis. The full-length cDNA of ChLysM consists of 1129 bp, with an open reading frame of 861 bp encoding a 286 amino acid polypeptide. The deduced protein had a calculated molecular mass of 32.66 kDa and a pI of 8.16. SMART analysis indicated that ChLysM has one Lysin motif and a transmembrane region in the C-terminal residues. Tissue distribution analysis of ChLysM revealed high expression in gills and hemocytes. The upregulated transcripts of ChLysM in response to bacterial challenge suggest that ChLysM is involved in innate immunity against pathogen infection. The recombinant protein of ChLysM was found to bind to various kinds of peptidoglycans from Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, as well as binding strongly to both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Moreover, ChLysM displayed broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus and S. haemolyticus) and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Vibrio alginolyticus). Collectively, these results indicate that ChLysM is a pattern recognition molecule with bacterial growth-inhibiting activity in immune defense of C. hongkongensis.

Amylase is one of the most important digestive enzymes for phytophagous animals. In this study, the cDNA, genomic DNA, and promoter region of the α-amylase gene of the pearl oyster Pinctada fucata were cloned by using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), rapid amplification of cDNA ends, and genome-walking methods. The full-length cDNA sequence was 1704bp long and consisted of a 5'-untranslated region of 17bp, a 3'-untranslated region of 118bp, and a 1569-bp open reading frame encoding a 522-aa polypeptide with a 20-aa signal peptide. Sequence alignment revealed that P. fucata α-amylase (Pfamy) shared the highest identity (91.6%) with Pinctada maxima. The phylogenetic tree showed that it was closely related to P. maxima, based on the amino acid sequences. The genomic DNA was 10850bp and contained nine exons, eight introns, and a promoter region of 3932bp. Several transcriptional factors such as GATA-1, AP-1, and SP1 were predicted in the promoter region. Quantitative RT-PCR assay indicated that the relative expression level of Pfamy was significantly higher in the digestive gland than in other tissues (gonad, gills, muscle, and mantle) (P<0.001). The expression level at salinity 27‰ was significantly higher than that at other salinities (P<0.05). Expression reached a minimum when the algal food concentration was 16×10(4)cells/mL, which was significantly lower than the level observed at 8×10(4)cells/mL and 20×10(4) cells/mL (P<0.05). Our findings provide a genetic basis for further research on Pfamy activity and will facilitate studies on the growth mechanisms and genetic improvement of the pearl oyster P. fucata.

Beta-defensins (β-defensins) are small cationic amphiphilic peptides that are widely distributed in plants, insects, and vertebrates, and are important for their antimicrobial properties. In this study, the β-defensin (Onβ-defensin) gene of the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) was cloned from spleen tissue. Onβ-defensin has a genomic DNA sequence of 674 bp and produces a cDNA of 454 bp. Sequence alignments showed that Onβ-defensin contains three exons and two introns. Sequence analysis of the cDNA identified an open reading frame of 201 bp, encoding 66 amino acids. Bioinformatic analysis showed that Onβ-defensin encodes a cytoplasmic protein molecule containing a signal peptide. The deduced amino acid sequence of this peptide contains six conserved cysteine residues and two conserved glycine residues, and shows 81.82% and 78.33% sequence similarities with β-defensin-1 of fugu (Takifugu rubripes) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), respectively. Real-time quantitative PCR showed that the level of Onβ-defensin expression was highest in the skin (307.1-fold), followed by the spleen (77.3-fold), kidney (17.8-fold), and muscle (16.5-fold) compared to controls. By contrast, low levels of expression were found in the liver, heart, intestine, stomach, and gill (<3.0-fold). Artificial infection of tilapia with Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococcus [GBS] strain) resulted in a significantly upregulated expression of Onβ-defensin in the skin, muscle, kidney, and gill. In vitro antimicrobial experiments showed that a synthetic Onβ-defensin polypeptide had a certain degree of inhibitory effect on the growth of Escherichia coli DH5α and S. agalactiae. The results indicate that Onβ-defensin plays a role in immune responses that suppress or kill pathogens.

Homeodomain leucine zipper I (HD-ZIP I) genes were used to increase the plasticity of plants by mediating external signals and regulating growth in response to environmental conditions. The way genomic histories drove the evolution of the HD-ZIP I family in legume species was described; HD-ZIP I genes were searched in Lotus japonicus, Medicago truncatula, Cajanus cajan and Phaseolus vulgaris, and then divided into five clades through phylogenetic analysis. Microsynteny analysis was made based on genomic segments containing the HD-ZIP I genes. Some pairs turned out to conform with syntenic genome regions, while others corresponded to those that were inverted, expanded, or contracted after the divergence of legumes. Besides, we dated their duplications by Ks analysis and demonstrated that all the blocks were formed after the monocot-dicot split; we observed Ka/Ks ratios representing strong purifying selections in the four legume species which might have been followed by gene loss and rearrangement.

The ankyrin repeat (ANK) protein family plays a crucial role in plant growth and development and in response to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, no detailed information concerning this family is available for tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) due to the limited information on whole genome sequences. In this study, we identified a total of 130 ANK genes in tomato genome (SlANK), and these genes were distributed across all 12 chromosomes at various densities. And chromosomal localizations of SlANK genes indicated 25 SlANK genes were involved in tandem duplications. Based on their domain composition, all of the SlANK proteins were grouped into 13 subgroups. A combined phylogenetic tree was constructed with the aligned SlANK protein sequences. This tree revealed that the SlANK proteins comprise five major groups. An analysis of the expression profiles of SlANK genes in tomato in different tissues and in response to stresses showed that the SlANK proteins play roles in plant growth, development and stress responses. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a genome-wide analysis of the tomato ANK gene family. This study provides valuable information regarding the classification and putative functions of SlANK genes in tomato.

Trichoderma spp. have been acknowledged as potent bio-control agents against microbial pathogens and also as plant growth promoters. Various secondary metabolites are attributed for these beneficial activities. Major facilitator superfamily (MFS) includes the large proportion of efflux-pumps which are linked with membrane transport of these secondary metabolites. We have carried out a proteome-wide identification of MFS transporters using protein sequence and structure based hierarchical method in Trichoderma reesei. 448 proteins out of 9115 were detected to carry transmembrane helices. MFS specific intragenic gene duplication and its context with transport function have been presented. Finally, using homology based techniques, domains and motifs of MFS families have been identified and utilized to classify them. From query dataset of 448 transmembrane proteins, 148 proteins are identified as potential MFS transporters. Sugar porter, drug: H(+) antiporter-1, monocarboxylate porter and anion: cation symporter emerged as major MFS families with 51, 35, 17 and 11 members respectively. Representative protein tertiary structures of these families are homology modeled for structure-function analysis. This study may help to understand the molecular basis of secretion and transport of agriculturally valuable secondary metabolites produced by these bio-control fungal agents which may be exploited in future for enhancing its biotechnological applications in eco-friendly sustainable development.

The endosperm of the cereal crop is an important nutrient source for humans. It also acts as a critical integrator of plant seed growth and development. Despite its importance, the comprehensive understanding in regulating of endosperm development in rice remains elusive. Here, we performed a genomic survey comprising the identification and functional characterization of the endosperm-specific genes (OsEnS) in rice using Affymetrix microarray data and Gene Ontology (GO) analysis. A total of 151 endosperm-specific genes were identified, and the expression patterns of 13 selected genes were confirmed by qRT-PCR analysis. Promoter regions of the endosperm-specific expression genes were analyzed by PLACE Signal Scan Search. The results indicated that some motifs were involved in endosperm-specific expression regulation, and some cis-elements were responsible for hormone regulation. The bootstrap analysis indicated that the RY repeat (CATGCA box) was over-represented in promoter regions of endosperm-specific expression genes. GO analysis indicated that these genes could be classified into 12 groups, namely, transcription factor, stress/defense, seed storage protein (SSP), carbohydrate and energy metabolism, seed maturation, protein metabolism, lipid metabolism, transport, cell wall related, hormone related, signal transduction, and one unclassified group. Taken together, our results provide informative clues for further functional characterization of the endosperm-specific genes, which facilitate the understanding of the molecular mechanism in rice endosperm development.

The full-length cDNA and genomic sequences of the BABY BOOM (BBM) gene, designated LkBBM, were isolated from Larix kaempferi × Larix olgensis. The 3324 bp cDNA was cloned and its open reading frame (ORF) consists of 2370 nucleotides. The deduced 789 amino acid protein contains two AP2 domains and a BBM specific motif. Four conserved motifs between BBM and PLT were identified, which may be conducive to the similar function of BBM and PLT. The three dimensional (3D) structure of LkBBM was predicted and β-sheets in the AP2-R2 domain of LkBBM might recognize the specific base pairs in the major groove. Analysis of the LkBBM gene structure indicates that the gene has eight introns and nine exons. In the 5'-flanking promoter region of LkBBM, many important potential cis-acting elements were identified, such as the TATABOX5 element (a functional TATA element), ROOTMOTIFTAPOX1 element (element of root specificity), AUXREPSIAA4 element (element involved in auxin responsiveness and gene expression in root meristem), MYB1AT element (element involved in MYB recognition), ARR1AT element (element involved in cytokinin responsiveness), GARE1OSREP1 element (element involved in gibberellin responsiveness) and PYRIMIDINEBOXHVEPB1 element (element involved in abscisic acid responsiveness), which all suggested that the expression of LkBBM is highly regulated. Compared with gene expression levels in the stem, stem tip and leaf, LkBBM shows a specific expression in the root, which indicates that LkBBM plays a key role in regulating the development and growth of root in larch. In the processing of larch adventitious root formation, LkBBM started to express on the eighth day after rooting treatment and its transcript level increased continuously afterwards. According to the gene characteristics, LkBBM is proposed as a molecular marker for root primordia of larch, and the initial period of LkBBM expression may be the formation period of root primordia in the processing of adventitious rooting of larch.

The SWEET (Sugars Will Eventually Be Exported Transporters) gene family encodes membrane-embedded sugar transporters containing seven transmembrane helices harboring two MtN3 and saliva domain. SWEETs play important roles in diverse biological processes, including plant growth, development, and response to environmental stimuli. Here, we conducted an exhaustive search of the tomato genome, leading to the identification of 29 SWEET genes. We analyzed the structures, conserved domains, and phylogenetic relationships of these protein-coding genes in detail. We also analyzed the transcript levels of SWEET genes in various tissues, organs, and developmental stages to obtain information about their functions. Furthermore, we investigated the expression patterns of the SWEET genes in response to exogenous sugar and adverse environmental stress (high and low temperatures). Some family members exhibited tissue-specific expression, whereas others were more ubiquitously expressed. Numerous stress-responsive candidate genes were obtained. The results of this study provide insights into the characteristics of the SWEET genes in tomato and may serve as a basis for further functional studies of such genes.

Myostatin (mstn) is an important member of TGF-β superfamily, a muscle growth inhibitor. Though mstn has been identified in many organisms, little is known about this gene in highland fish, Gymnocypris przewalskii endemic to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. In this study, we first cloned two paralogous mstn genes (mstn1 and mstn2) from G. przewalskii through homologue cloning. The 3D structures of both Mstn proteins varied in the numbers of β-sheets and conformations of α-helices. The branch-site model showed that mstn1 has undergone positive selection, and two positively selected sites (107M and 181T) were located on the random coils of the 3D protein structure. Expression patterns indicated that the mstn1 expressed widely, while the mstn2 only expressed in the muscle and brain. During the early stage of embryo development, the expression levels of both mstn paralogous genes showed different increasing trends. These results suggest that it is diverging in two mstn paralogues of G. przewalskii via specific differences in gene structure, protein structure, selection pressure and gene expression patterns. Taken together, this study provides novel contribution on the research topics of growth related gene function and mechanism of highland fish in extreme aquatic environment on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Transforming growth factor-β activated kinase-1 (TAK1) is an essential regulator in toll-like receptor (TLR), tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) signaling pathways, and plays very important roles in animal innate immunity. TAK1-binding protein, TAB1, can specifically regulate the activation of TAK1. However, the TAB1 gene in amphioxus has not yet been identified to date. In this study, we identified and characterized a TAB1 gene from Branchiostoma belcheri (designed as AmphiTAB1). Our results showed that the full-length cDNA of AmphiTAB1 is 2281bp long with an open reading frame (ORF) of 1659bp that encodes a predicted protein of 553 amino acids containing a typical PP2Cc domain. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the AmphiTAB1 gene was located between invertebrates and vertebrates, suggesting that the AmphiTAB1 gene is a member of the TAB1 gene family. Real-time PCR analysis indicated that the AmphiTAB1 was ubiquitously and differentially expressed in six investigated tissues (gills, hepatic cecum, intestine, muscles, notochord and gonad). After lipopolysaccharide stimulation, the expression of AmphiTAB1 was significantly up-regulated at 6h, which shows that AmphiTAB1 may be involved in the host immune response. In addition, the recombinant TAB1 expressed in vitro shows a molecular mass of 62kDa and Western blot confirmed it, which proved it is an encoding isoform. Taken together, our findings provide an insight into innate immune response of amphioxus and evolution of the TAB1 gene family.

Neuregulin 1 (Nrg1) is one of the most active members of the epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like family, which bind to the ErbB tyrosine kinase receptor and play many roles in modulation of synaptic activity, synaptogenesis, GABAergic neurotransmission, neurotransmitter receptor expression and the hormonal control of neuroendocrine reproductive development. In this study, we cloned and characterized the cDNA of goose Nrg1 originating from hypothalamus tissues of Huoyan goose using RACE method, investigated the mRNA expression profiles during different stages of the egg-laying cycle by real-time PCR. Multiple alignments and phylogenetic analyses of the deduced amino acid sequence were conducted using bioinformatics tools. We also determined the profiles of blood serum progesterone, estradiol, FSH and LH content during different egg-laying stages using radioimmunoassay. The cDNA of Nrg1 is consisted of 2061bp open reading frame encoding 686 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence of goose Nrg1 contains one EGF domain from amino acid residues 224 to 265 and shows a closer genetic relationship to the avian species than to other mammal species. The expression level of Nrg1 mRNA increased from the pre-laying period to the peak-laying period, reached its peak in the peak-laying period, and then decreased in the ceased period. The concentrations of FSH and estradiol in blood serum have the similar changing trend. These results might suggest a potential correlation between Nrg1/ErbB signaling network with the reproductive neuroendocrine of Huoyan goose.

The ubiquitous phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase enzymes in plants play pivotal role during carbon metabolism in photosynthesis, physicochemical processes, and tolerance to various abiotic or chemical stresses. We are presenting a bioinformatics identification of PEPC gene family in tomato and its phylogenetic classification into PTPC and BTPC sub families. Tomato PEPC genes are distributed in four different chromosomes with a unique motif and gene structure that strengthen their classification into two sub families. Identification of twelve different cis-regulatory elements related to abiotic and exogenous phytohormones showed their diverse role. Moreover, RNA-seq and qRT-PCR based tissues specific analysis revealed their role in its growth and development. In tomato, PEPC genes exhibited a diverse temporal expression under salt, cold and exogenous phytohormones. For an instance, SlPEPC1, SlPEPC4, and SlPEPC5 was upregulated under salt, drought, ABA, and JA in shoots. While, SlPEPC3, SlPEPC4, and SlPEPC5 was induced in root tissues upon exposure to drought, cold, and GA. Similarly, the enzyme activity of tomato PEPC was significantly upregulated under all these stresses but peaked under salt and IAA in roots and under GA in leaves. All tomato PEPC predicted in cytoplasm and the transient expression assay validate it. Our study insight into unique features of PEPC gene family in tomato and may sever as foundation for functional their studies.