Genome-Wide Identification and Co-Expression Analysis of ARF and IAA Family Genes in Euscaphis konishii : Potential Regulators of Triterpenoids and Anthocyanin Biosynthesis

is an evergreen plant that is widely planted as an industrial crop in Southern China. It produces red fruits with abundant secondary metabolites, giving . high medicinal and ornamental value. Auxin signaling mediated by members of the AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR (ARF) and auxin/indole-3-acetic acid (Aux/IAA) protein families plays important roles during plant growth and development. and genes have been described in many plants but have not yet been described in . In this study, we identified 34 EkIAA and 29 EkARF proteins encoded by the genome through database searching using HMMER. We also performed a bioinformatic characterization of and genes, including their phylogenetic relationships, gene structures, chromosomal distribution, and -element analysis, as well as conserved motifs in the proteins. Our results suggest that and genes have been relatively conserved over evolutionary history. Furthermore, we conducted expression and co-expression analyses of and genes in leaves, branches, and fruits, which identified a subset of seven genes as potential regulators of triterpenoids and anthocyanin biosynthesis. RT-qPCR, yeast one-hybrid, and transient expression analyses showed that EkARF5.1 can directly interact with auxin response elements and regulate downstream gene expression. Our results may pave the way to elucidating the function of and gene families in , laying a foundation for further research on high-yielding industrial products and breeding.