# Genome-Wide Characterization of VDAC Gene Family in Soybean (Glycine max L.) and In Silico Expression Profiling in Response to Drought and Salt Stress

## TL;DR

This study explores the VDAC gene family in soybean and finds how these genes respond to drought and salt stress.

## Contribution

The study identifies 111 VDAC genes in soybean and related species and reveals their expression under stress conditions.

## Key findings

- VDAC genes in soybean are classified into six clades with high similarity between cultivated and wild soybean.
- Transcriptomic analysis shows specific VDAC genes are overexpressed under drought and salt stress.
- 103 miRNAs are predicted to target 15 GmaVDAC genes, suggesting regulatory roles.

## Abstract

Soybean (Glycine max L.) is grown worldwide to obtain edible oil, livestock feed, and biodiesel. However, drought and salt stress are becoming serious challenges to global soybean cultivation as they retard the growth of soybean plants and cause significant yield losses. Voltage-dependent anion-selective channel (VDAC) proteins are well-known for their role in drought and salt tolerance in crop plants. In this study, we identified 111 putative VDAC genes randomly distributed in genomes of 14 plant species, including cultivated soybean (Glycine max) and wild soybean (Glycine soja). The comparative phylogenetic studies classified these genes into six different clades and found the highest structural similarities among VDAC genes of G. max and G. soja. From the conserved domain database, porin-3 (PF01459) was found to be the conserved domain in all VDAC proteins. Furthermore, gene annotation studies revealed the role of GmaVDAC proteins in voltage-gated anion channel activity. These proteins were also found to interact with other proteins, especially mitochondrial receptors. A total of 103 miRNAs were predicted to target fifteen GmaVDAC genes. In G. max, these genes were found to be segmentally duplicated and randomly distributed on twelve chromosomes. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that the GmaVDAC18.2 gene showed overexpression in root nodules, whereas the GmaVDAC9.1, GmaVDAC18.1, and GmaVDAC18.2 genes showed overexpression under drought and salt stress conditions.