Transcriptomes of Different Tissues for Expression Characteristics Analysis of MYB gene Family in Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.)

Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) is one of the most important bast fiber crops. And the MYB transcription factor plays a vital role in plant development regulation. In this study, the transcriptome data of 9 tissues of kenaf was analyzed deeply. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between stem bark at 60 days after sowing (DAS) and other tissues were screened out and the number of overlapping DEGs between different groups varied greatly. Interestingly, plenty of MYB transcription factors were identified among these overlapping DEGs suggesting that these genes may be related to the growth of stem bark and need to be further characterized. Totally, 353 HcMYBs were identified from the whole genome and classified into four groups: 1R-MYB, 2R-MYB, 3R-MYB, and 4R-MYB, with 1R-MYB and 2R-MYB accounting for the majority. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that members of the 1R-MYB and 2R-MYB families were divided into 12 and 37 subgroups. Synteny analysis indicated that segmental and tandem duplication events played a key role in the expansion of the MYB gene family in kenaf. Analysis of the HcMYB expression patterns in various tissues or developmental stages led to the screening of numerous HcMYB, including HcMYB92, HcMYB162, HcMYB143, and HcMYB213, which may have the ability to influence stem bark development. The sole HcMYB identified by Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) in the stem bark at 60 DAS module, HcMYB207, co-expressed with a large number of genes with various functions. These findings might provide valuable information for further research on the potential function of HcMYBs.