Calcium-dependent protein kinases (CPKs) play important roles in regulating plant tolerance to abiotic stress and signal transduction; however, no data are currently available regarding the CPK family in cassava. Herein, we identified 27 CPK genes from cassava based on our previous genome sequencing data. Phylogenetic analysis showed that cassava CPKs could be clustered into three groups, which was further supported by gene structure and conserved protein motif analyses. Global expression analysis suggested that MeCPK genes showed distinct expression patterns in different tissues between wild subspecies and cultivated varieties, indicating their involvement in the functional diversity of different varieties. Transcriptomics, interaction networks, and co-expression assays revealed a broad transcriptional response of cassava CPKs and CPK-mediated networks to drought stress and their differential expression profiles in different varieties, implying their contribution to drought stress tolerance in cassava. Expression analysis of eight MeCPK genes suggested a comprehensive response to osmotic stress, salt, cold, abscisic acid, and H2O2, which indicated that cassava CPKs might be convergence points for different signaling pathways. This study provides a basis for crop improvements and understanding of abiotic stress responses and signal transduction mediated by CPKs in cassava.
Keywords: Abiotic stress; CPK; Expression; Response; Signaling.