Comprehensive analysis of WUSCHEL-related Homeobox family in Chosenia arbutifolia (Pall.) A. Skv.: Characterization, Structure, evolutionary insights, and Expression Profiles

Comprehensive analysis of WUSCHEL-related Homeobox family in Chosenia arbutifolia (Pall.) A. Skv.: Characterization, Structure, evolutionary insights, and Expression Profiles | 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 Comprehensive analysis of WUSCHEL-related Homeobox family in Chosenia arbutifolia (Pall.) A. Skv.: Characterization, Structure, evolutionary insights, and Expression Profiles Pu Wang, Jiwei zheng, Zhongyi jiao, Ruifang huang, Weiwei wang, and 3 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9273330/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 11 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract WUSCHEL-related Homeobox (WOX) is a key transcription factor regulating plant meristems, and plays an important role in plant growth, development and stress resistance regulation. To analyze the molecular characteristics and functional potential of the CaWOX gene family in Chosenia arbutifolia (Pall.) A. Skv, genome-wide identification and bioinformatics analysis were performed in poplar in this study, and 14 CaWOX genes were identified. The 14 CaWOX genes were distributed on 11 chromosomes with 8 tandem duplications. Phylogenetic analysis divided the 14 CaWOX proteins into 4 conserved subgroups, and members in the same subgroup shared highly conserved conserved motifs and gene structures. The CaWOX family was highly evolutionarily conserved among closely related species in Salicaceae, but showed weak collinearity with Arabidopsis thaliana ; cis-elements related to meristem development, hormone response and abiotic stress were enriched in the promoter regions. Tissue development analysis revealed that CaWOX3/4/5/9/11 participated in leaf development and maintenance of physiological functions in mature leaves; CaWOX1/6/10/14 regulated root development; and CaWOX12 mediated secondary growth of stems in C. arbutifolia . This study clarified the evolutionary pattern and functional differentiation of the CaWOX family in C. arbutifolia , providing a key theoretical basis and gene resources for subsequent functional verification of this gene family, as well as growth regulation, wood property improvement and stress-resistant molecular breeding of Salicaceae trees. WOX Chosenia arbutifolia Expression Profiles evolutionary Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files Supplementarydata.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviews received at journal 18 May, 2026 Reviews received at journal 12 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 30 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 27 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 27 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 27 Apr, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 27 Apr, 2026 Editor invited by journal 23 Apr, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 15 Apr, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 14 Apr, 2026 First submitted to journal 14 Apr, 2026 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-9273330","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":633303853,"identity":"ea407585-431f-4e01-bbb0-f8b522ddfb19","order_by":0,"name":"Pu Wang","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA1UlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYPACGwbG5gNAmo14LWkMjG0JpGk5DFRNrBaD42cPvy5sO5/H3MZjwPCh7DAD/+wGAlrO5KVZz2y7XcwI1MI449xhBok7B/BrMTuQY2bM23Y7sXF+jwEzb9thBgOJBAJazr8BaTmX2Ai0hfkvUVpu5Bg/5m07ANHCSIwW+xtvzJhnnEsGamErONhzLp1H4gYBLZL9OcafC8rsEje2MW988KPMWo5/BgEtQMAmDSINGxgYDgBpHoLqgYD5M4iUJ0bpKBgFo2AUjEwAAFdAQ+9vLFvTAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Jiangsu Academy of Forestry","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Pu","middleName":"","lastName":"Wang","suffix":""},{"id":633303854,"identity":"e95937a4-52f0-4b8c-b8fc-9adfffc2d614","order_by":1,"name":"Jiwei zheng","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Jiangsu Academy of Forestry","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jiwei","middleName":"","lastName":"zheng","suffix":""},{"id":633303856,"identity":"5e4a2119-3f67-47c5-bbf4-04c666362a05","order_by":2,"name":"Zhongyi jiao","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Jiangsu Academy of Forestry","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Zhongyi","middleName":"","lastName":"jiao","suffix":""},{"id":633303868,"identity":"a484b1e8-7d2c-43e7-b3a3-0994995a9c43","order_by":3,"name":"Ruifang huang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Jiangsu Academy of Forestry","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ruifang","middleName":"","lastName":"huang","suffix":""},{"id":633303872,"identity":"4e01741d-517f-4d1f-9543-e0acb2083638","order_by":4,"name":"Weiwei wang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Jiangsu Academy of Forestry","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Weiwei","middleName":"","lastName":"wang","suffix":""},{"id":633303875,"identity":"a9583e41-fb11-4940-9030-711ab57a9a41","order_by":5,"name":"Hongling wang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Jiangsu Academy of Forestry","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Hongling","middleName":"","lastName":"wang","suffix":""},{"id":633303876,"identity":"2ebb6441-9877-4b87-8cc5-478e3dc28935","order_by":6,"name":"Dezong Sui","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Jiangsu Academy of Forestry","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Dezong","middleName":"","lastName":"Sui","suffix":""},{"id":633303880,"identity":"8e958a8e-6d7f-4272-8efa-766c35564690","order_by":7,"name":"Xudong He","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Jiangsu Academy of Forestry","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Xudong","middleName":"","lastName":"He","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-03-31 02:38:16","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9273330/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9273330/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":108804163,"identity":"c678291a-86c3-478e-84cf-f6c655194598","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-08 15:16:53","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1026884,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ComprehensiveanalysisofWUSCHELrelatedHomeoboxfamilyinChoseniaarbutifoliaCharacterizationStructureevolutionaryinsightsandExpressionProfiles.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9273330/v1_covered_4080e1c3-a8fd-4446-bcb6-f117c4eec726.pdf"},{"id":108538877,"identity":"2d60fa07-c19d-45c7-876d-c885d5ea0946","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-05 17:56:27","extension":"docx","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":602682,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Supplementarydata.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9273330/v1/57be4245dd17861171250f52.docx"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Comprehensive analysis of WUSCHEL-related Homeobox family in Chosenia arbutifolia (Pall.) A. Skv.: Characterization, Structure, evolutionary insights, and Expression Profiles","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"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":"bmc-genomics","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"gics","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Genomics](http://bmcgenomics.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/gics","title":"BMC Genomics","twitterHandle":"#BMCGenomics","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"WOX, Chosenia arbutifolia, Expression Profiles, evolutionary","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9273330/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9273330/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eWUSCHEL-related Homeobox (WOX) is a key transcription factor regulating plant meristems, and plays an important role in plant growth, development and stress resistance regulation. To analyze the molecular characteristics and functional potential of the \u003cem\u003eCaWOX\u003c/em\u003e gene family in \u003cem\u003eChosenia arbutifolia\u003c/em\u003e (Pall.) A. Skv, genome-wide identification and bioinformatics analysis were performed in poplar in this study, and 14 \u003cem\u003eCaWOX\u003c/em\u003e genes were identified. The 14 \u003cem\u003eCaWOX\u003c/em\u003e genes were distributed on 11 chromosomes with 8 tandem duplications. Phylogenetic analysis divided the 14 CaWOX proteins into 4 conserved subgroups, and members in the same subgroup shared highly conserved conserved motifs and gene structures. The \u003cem\u003eCaWOX\u003c/em\u003e family was highly evolutionarily conserved among closely related species in Salicaceae, but showed weak collinearity with \u003cem\u003eArabidopsis thaliana\u003c/em\u003e; cis-elements related to meristem development, hormone response and abiotic stress were enriched in the promoter regions. Tissue development analysis revealed that \u003cem\u003eCaWOX3/4/5/9/11\u003c/em\u003e participated in leaf development and maintenance of physiological functions in mature leaves; \u003cem\u003eCaWOX1/6/10/14\u003c/em\u003e regulated root development; and \u003cem\u003eCaWOX12\u003c/em\u003e mediated secondary growth of stems in \u003cem\u003eC. arbutifolia\u003c/em\u003e. This study clarified the evolutionary pattern and functional differentiation of the\u003cem\u003eCaWOX\u003c/em\u003e family in \u003cem\u003eC. arbutifolia\u003c/em\u003e, providing a key theoretical basis and gene resources for subsequent functional verification of this gene family, as well as growth regulation, wood property improvement and stress-resistant molecular breeding of Salicaceae trees.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Comprehensive analysis of WUSCHEL-related Homeobox family in Chosenia arbutifolia (Pall.) A. Skv.: Characterization, Structure, evolutionary insights, and Expression Profiles","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-05-05 17:56:24","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9273330/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-18T04:16:29+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-13T02:48:17+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"5411338378670941756397455388788586917","date":"2026-04-30T22:45:56+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"234259599200384555476407987832530602221","date":"2026-04-28T01:56:43+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"207492384368641888587798017564542820355","date":"2026-04-27T11:14:26+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"126498538542167862478569654890462981258","date":"2026-04-27T08:16:05+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-04-27T08:08:01+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2026-04-23T05:21:33+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-04-15T06:46:14+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-04-15T01:34:46+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"BMC Genomics","date":"2026-04-15T01:30:01+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-genomics","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"gics","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Genomics](http://bmcgenomics.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/gics","title":"BMC Genomics","twitterHandle":"#BMCGenomics","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"9e07ced5-b0ea-45a1-be9c-a97736f3ba31","owner":[],"postedDate":"May 5th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-18T04:16:29+00:00","index":62,"fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-13T02:48:17+00:00","index":61,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"5411338378670941756397455388788586917","date":"2026-04-30T22:45:56+00:00","index":59,"fulltext":""}],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-05T17:56:24+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-05-05 17:56:24","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9273330","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9273330","identity":"rs-9273330","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}