Analysis of UGT Gene Family and Functional Involvement in Drought and Salt Stress Tolerance in Phoebe bournei

Abstract Background Uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferases (UDP-GTs, UGTs), regulated by UGT genes, play a pivotal role in glycosylation, a prevalent compound modification pathway observed in plant secondary metabolism. Glycosylation is known to contribute significantly to hormone homeostasis, plant detoxification processes, and secondary metabolite production in plants. Despite extensive studies on the UGT gene family in numerous species, a comprehensive investigation of the UGT family in Phoebe bournei remains unreported. Thus, we conducted a systematic analysis to identify 156 PbUGT genes and provide a comprehensive examination of this family by investigating homology, conserved protein regions, gene structure, chromosomal location, and tissue-specific expression patterns. Results We identified 156 UGT genes within the entire P. bournei genome, all of which contained the PSPG box. The PbUGT family consists of 14 subfamilies, consistent with Arabidopsis thaliana . We observed varying expression levels of PbUGT genes across different tissues in P. bournei , with the following average expression hierarchy: leaf > stem xylem > stem bark > root xylem > root bark. Covariance analysis revealed stronger covariance between P. bournei and closely related species. Additionally, PbUGT genes exhibited differential expression under drought and salt stresses, with specific expression patterns observed under each stress condition. Conclusions Our findings shed light on the transcriptional response of PbUGT factors to drought and salt stresses, thereby establishing a foundation for future investigations into the role of PbUGT transcription factors.