# Genome-Wide Analysis of the DNA-Binding with One Finger Gene Family Reveals Soybean Expression Pattern and Functional Analysis

## TL;DR

This study identifies and analyzes 79 Dof genes in soybean, revealing their expression patterns and potential roles in stress responses.

## Contribution

The study provides the first comprehensive genome-wide analysis of the Dof gene family in soybean.

## Key findings

- 79 putative Dof genes were identified and distributed across the soybean genome.
- Nine Dof genes in group V showed significant response to salt stress in roots.
- Twelve cis-acting elements were found in Dof gene promoters, including hormone and environmental response elements.

## Abstract

The Dof (DNA-binding with one finger) domain protein family is a plant-specific zinc finger transcription factor family that plays a role in various biological processes in plants. However, research on Dof transcription factors in soybean (Glycine max) remains limited. In this study, we identified 79 putative soybean Dof genes, which are distributed across the entire genome. A comparative phylogenetic analysis of the Dof gene family in soybean, Arabidopsis, rice, maize, and Medicago revealed five major groups. The synteny relationship analysis showed a large number of gene duplication events in soybean. Twelve cis-acting elements were detected in the promoter region of the Dof gene, including five hormone response elements and several environmental response elements. Expression pattern analysis indicated that most Gmdof genes exhibited specific expression patterns. Nine genes in group V, which exhibited higher expression in the root, were identified as significantly responsive to salt stress through qRT-PCR. The possible biological functions of several Gmdof genes were discussed, including Gmdof11.2, Gmdof2.1, and Gmdof16.2. In summary, this study integrated phylogenetic analysis with genome-wide expression profiling to provide valuable information for understanding the functional characteristics of Dof genes in soybean.