AUTHOR=Wang Yanping , Jia Li , Wang Han , Zhou Xiujuan , Yan Congsheng , Ding Qiangqiang , Hong Xiujing , Dong Yanxiang , Wang Yan , Jiang Haikun 

TITLE=Genome-wide identification of growth−regulating factor and GRF−interacting factor gene families across three Solanaceae species with functional analysis in pepper regeneration

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=Volume 16 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2025.1684045

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2025.1684045

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=The growth-regulating factor (GRF) and GRF-interacting factor (GIF) gene families play crucial roles in enhancing plant genetic transformation efficiency. However, the functional contributions of pepper GRF and GIF genes in improving transformation efficiency remain unexplored. In this study, we identified 31 GRF genes and 9 GIF genes across pepper, tomato, and tobacco. A systematic analysis was conducted to characterize their phylogenetic relationships, gene structures, collinearity, and expression patterns. Collinearity analysis revealed large-scale duplication events among these three Solanaceae species. Furthermore, qRT-PCR analysis demonstrated significantly elevated ex-pression levels of pepper GRF and GIF genes in regenerative tissues, indicating their critical functional roles during pepper regeneration processes. Our findings provide novel insights into the evolution of GRF and GIF gene families in Solanaceous plants and identify several key candidate genes for future functional studies aimed at enhancing pepper regeneration efficiency and genetic transformation.