Genome-wide identification of SGR and SGRL gene family members in thirteen species and their expression under drought stress in Sorghum bicolor seedlings

Genome-wide identification of SGR and SGRL gene family members in thirteen species and their expression under drought stress in Sorghum bicolor seedlings | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Genome-wide identification of SGR and SGRL gene family members in thirteen species and their expression under drought stress in Sorghum bicolor seedlings Amirnaser Ebrahimi, Reza Shirzadian-khorramabad, Amin Abedi This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8510203/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Leaf senescence is a genetically programmed developmental process essential for nutrient remobilization and adaptation to environmental stresses. The SGR and SGRL gene families play pivotal roles in regulating chlorophyll degradation pathways. This study presents a genome-wide analysis of SGR and SGRL genes across 13 species from monocot and dicot. We identified 23 SGR and 17 SGRL genes encoding 31 and 28 proteins, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis classified these proteins into two groups and four subgroups, revealing evolutionary relationships consistent with speciation events. Intron-exon structural analyses highlighted conserved structures within subgroups. Subcellular localization predictions indicate plastid targeting, with SGRs associated with thylakoid membranes and SGRLs localizing predominantly to the chloroplast envelope, suggesting distinct functional niches within the chloroplast. Regulatory analyses uncovered 1,661 cis -acting elements encompassing stress-, light-, and hormone-responses, notably abundant abscisic acid-responsive elements. Post-transcriptional control is evident through miRNA families such as miR164 and miR159, underscoring multilayered regulation. Functional network analysis revealed overlapping interactomes for SbSGR and SbSGRL involving key chlorophyll metabolic enzymes, while differential expression profiling under drought stress in Sorghum cultivars ‘Kimia’ (drought-resistant) and ‘Sepideh’ (drought-sensitive) uncovered cultivar-specific patterns: rapid SbSGR repression with transient SbSGRL induction in Kimia, versus gradual SbSGR decline and sustained SbSGRL upregulation in Sepideh. Overall, SGR and SGRL genes exhibit profound evolutionary divergence and intricate spatial, regulatory, and functional specialization. Their coordinated but distinct roles facilitate chlorophyll catabolism and senescence, enabling plants to fine-tune developmental and stress responses. This framework supports future validation and biotechnological strategies to improve crop resilience under abiotic stress. Chlorophyll miRNA Senescence Drought stress PPI Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files Supplementarymaterial1.xlsx Supplementarymaterial2.xlsx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8510203","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":586335838,"identity":"8c1adf2d-4596-4b39-ac37-cb5445547f67","order_by":0,"name":"Amirnaser Ebrahimi","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Guilan","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Amirnaser","middleName":"","lastName":"Ebrahimi","suffix":""},{"id":586335840,"identity":"053520f2-bd3f-49ff-86fb-625978c2b7ca","order_by":1,"name":"Reza Shirzadian-khorramabad","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAABCUlEQVRIie3OsUoDMRjA8S8EkuWzt6ZcwFdIKdwhVu5VIg4uV0enUm6qS+1s3+ImJ4dAoJ3EV7AImW5wkkMqmKuCDr1yo2D+EEJCfuQDCIX+Zgx0s1m/XgGw932NnQi58y9ZJ7LLAFD8ObaXFtw9bx6mx701dS+jdysZfzRQT0CmxX4iDaZKOzZYWpYOxwuLDK80ma8ApdlPhB9eaIOktJDE47knkCs4KgBFy2ACuPNEZKXlb/FJQ6JKkY+DBBJP1HlpMYmh9kTkih78hWJD9MXS4nX/trj0pFJWrkQ74TeuX5vp2eJpfS/q7WkWRflgU01GWRsB+vtAZl+72U3crW3Xh6FQKPSf+gS4nEsUhuMhmwAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"University of Guilan","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Reza","middleName":"","lastName":"Shirzadian-khorramabad","suffix":""},{"id":586335841,"identity":"7d9c0843-17d7-482e-bea0-938f5dd192c7","order_by":2,"name":"Amin Abedi","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Guilan","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Amin","middleName":"","lastName":"Abedi","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-01-04 04:23:14","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8510203/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8510203/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":103825345,"identity":"c4eb002a-e022-416c-aecd-eeb4f9dec1c3","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-03 11:27:26","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1377841,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"SGRnewversionJAN32026.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8510203/v1_covered_85fa6090-4e2b-4766-ac0b-e7b9955387e5.pdf"},{"id":102248198,"identity":"259dc6f0-31b3-440a-a701-c9c7342cc4f8","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-09 18:40:28","extension":"xlsx","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":19829,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Supplementarymaterial1.xlsx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8510203/v1/17e8f0fddef4e17371ac8a95.xlsx"},{"id":102248200,"identity":"36c9a1d1-db7c-48bc-bc5f-8e3180e623f2","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-09 18:40:28","extension":"xlsx","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":33446,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Supplementarymaterial2.xlsx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8510203/v1/7ce2824912243cd7a6e8adf2.xlsx"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Genome-wide identification of SGR and SGRL gene family members in thirteen species and their expression under drought stress in Sorghum bicolor seedlings","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Chlorophyll, miRNA, Senescence, Drought stress, PPI","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8510203/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8510203/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eLeaf senescence is a genetically programmed developmental process essential for nutrient remobilization and adaptation to environmental stresses. The \u003cem\u003eSGR\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eSGRL\u003c/em\u003e gene families play pivotal roles in regulating chlorophyll degradation pathways. This study presents a genome-wide analysis of \u003cem\u003eSGR\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eSGRL\u003c/em\u003e genes across 13 species from monocot and dicot. We identified 23 \u003cem\u003eSGR\u003c/em\u003e and 17 \u003cem\u003eSGRL\u003c/em\u003e genes encoding 31 and 28 proteins, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis classified these proteins into two groups and four subgroups, revealing evolutionary relationships consistent with speciation events. Intron-exon structural analyses highlighted conserved structures within subgroups. Subcellular localization predictions indicate plastid targeting, with SGRs associated with thylakoid membranes and SGRLs localizing predominantly to the chloroplast envelope, suggesting distinct functional niches within the chloroplast. Regulatory analyses uncovered 1,661 \u003cem\u003ecis\u003c/em\u003e-acting elements encompassing stress-, light-, and hormone-responses, notably abundant abscisic acid-responsive elements. Post-transcriptional control is evident through miRNA families such as miR164 and miR159, underscoring multilayered regulation. Functional network analysis revealed overlapping interactomes for SbSGR and SbSGRL involving key chlorophyll metabolic enzymes, while differential expression profiling under drought stress in Sorghum cultivars \u0026lsquo;Kimia\u0026rsquo; (drought-resistant) and \u0026lsquo;Sepideh\u0026rsquo; (drought-sensitive) uncovered cultivar-specific patterns: rapid SbSGR repression with transient SbSGRL induction in Kimia, versus gradual SbSGR decline and sustained SbSGRL upregulation in Sepideh. Overall, \u003cem\u003eSGR\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eSGRL\u003c/em\u003e genes exhibit profound evolutionary divergence and intricate spatial, regulatory, and functional specialization. Their coordinated but distinct roles facilitate chlorophyll catabolism and senescence, enabling plants to fine-tune developmental and stress responses. This framework supports future validation and biotechnological strategies to improve crop resilience under abiotic stress.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Genome-wide identification of SGR and SGRL gene family members in thirteen species and their expression under drought stress in Sorghum bicolor seedlings","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-02-09 18:39:57","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8510203/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"a028435a-c66e-4659-9c18-38fe762ac945","owner":[],"postedDate":"February 9th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-09T12:24:14+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-02-09 18:39:57","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8510203","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8510203","identity":"rs-8510203","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}