JAZ (Jasmonate ZIM-domain) proteins play pervasive roles in plant development and defense reaction. However, limited information is known about the JAZ family in Camellia sinensis. In this study, 12 non-redundant JAZ genes were identified from the tea plant genome database. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the 12 JAZ proteins belong to three groups. The cis-elements in promoters of CsJAZ genes and CsJAZ proteins interaction networks were also analyzed. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that 7 CsJAZ genes were preferentially expressed in roots. Furthermore, the CsJAZ expressions were differentially induced by cold, heat, polyethylene glycol (PEG), methyl jasmonate (MeJA), and gibberellin (GA) stimuli. The Pearson correlations analysis based on expression levels showed that the CsJAZ gene pairs were differentially expressed under different stresses, indicating that CsJAZs might exhibit synergistic effects in response to various stresses. Subcellular localization assay demonstrated that CsJAZ3, CsJAZ10, and CsJAZ11 fused proteins were localized in the cell nucleus. Additionally, the overexpression of CsJAZ3, CsJAZ10, and CsJAZ11 in E. coli enhanced the growth of recombinant cells under abiotic stresses. In summary, this study will facilitate the understanding of the CsJAZ family in Camellia sinensis and provide new insights into the molecular mechanism of tea plant response to abiotic stresses and hormonal stimuli.
Keywords: Camellia sinensis; JAZ; abiotic stresses; expression profiles.