Genome-Wide Identification, Characterization of bHLH Transcription Factors in Mango

The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor family, which is widely prevalent in higher plants, plays an important role in regulating plant growth and development under various environmental factors. However, there is still no genome-wide analysis of the bHLH family conducted in mango (Mangifera indica L.). In this study, 212 MibHLH genes were identified in the mango genome by genome wide-analysis and they are unequally distributed across all the mango chromosomes. Based on the phylogenetic tree analysis, MibHLH proteins were divided into 26 subgroups. GO and protein-protein interaction network analyses showed bHLH protein family has multiple biological functions in mango. Several cis-elements related to hormone responses such as CGTCA-motif and TGACG-motif, ABRE, GARE-motif, TCA-element and TGA-element were identified in the upstream regions of MibHLH genes. The results provide some valuable information for exploring the functional roles of the MibHLH genes in mango.