Identification and expression analysis of glutamate receptor-like (GLR) genes and cold response of VaGLR3.4 in grapevine
Qu, Ziyang ; Li, Jinhua ; Lian, Shuqi ; Zhao, Ting ; Wang, Ling ; Zhang, Chaohong
DOI：10.1007/s12298-025-01694-z
Abstract
Cold stress is a critical environmental factor that affects vineyard productivity and grape quality. Although glutamate receptors (GLRs) have been characterized in other plant species, a comprehensive investigation of the GLRs family in grapevine remains limited. In this study, we identified 32 members of the VvGLR gene family from the grapevine genome and confirmed their identity through motif and gene structure analyses. Phylogenetic and synteny analyses displayed that the VvGLR genes are categorized into three subfamilies, and 11 tandem duplication events were identified. Cis-acting element analysis indicated that VvGLR1.2, VvGLR2.5, VvGLR2.8, and VvGLR3.4 possess a diverse array of regulatory elements, suggesting their potential involvement in various physiological pathways. Furthermore, VvGLR2.6 and VvGLR2.8 exhibited opposite expression patterns in 'Thompson seedless' and 'Beibinghong' under cold stress. Notably, the overexpression of VaGLR3.4 increased cold sensitivity in Arabidopsis thaliana and grapevine by downregulating the expression of cold-responsive genes, including VvICE1, VvCBF1, VvCOR15 and VvKIN1. This finding implies that VaGLR3.4 may function as a negative regulator of the cold stress response in grapevine. Overall, this study provides new insights into the grapevine GLR gene family and offers a valuable foundation for evolutionary analysis and the molecular breeding of cold-tolerant varieties.