Genome-Wide Identification and Light-Induced Expression Analysis of the BPC Gene Family in Peucedanum praeruptorum Dunn

Abstract

The BASIC PENTACYSTEINE (BPC) family represents a group of plant-specific transcription factors with established functions in developmental regulation and environmental adaptation. Although BPC genes have been catalogued in diverse plant species, their genome-wide characterization and light-dependent expression dynamics remain unexplored in the medicinal herb Peucedanum praeruptorum Dunn. Here, we report the systematic identification of eight PpBPC loci from the P. praeruptorum genome assembly through comprehensive bioinformatic screening. Evolutionary reconstruction grouped these eight members into three distinct clades (designated A, B, and C). Comparative genomic analyses revealed pronounced syntenic conservation between PpBPCs and their counterparts in Arabidopsis thaliana, Angelica sinensis, and Daucus carota. Members clustered within the same phylogenetic group displayed analogous exon-intron architectures and conserved motif repertoires, and all possessed the characteristic GAGA-binding domain. Examination of transcript abundance across organs demonstrated that clade A and C members shared broadly overlapping expression signatures in root, stem, and leaf tissues, whereas clade B genes exhibited organ-prevalent patterns. When seedlings were treated with three monochromatic light regimes, the PpBPC family displayed heterogeneous transcriptional responses, with individual clades showing distinct wavelength sensitivities. In particular, PpBPC6 and PpBPC8 were strongly activated by blue light. Collectively, these data delineate the foundational landscape of the PpBPC family and highlight candidate members likely involved in light signal transduction, thereby establishing a framework for future mechanistic dissection of light-responsive gene regulation in P. praeruptorum.