Evolutionary Diversification and Adaptive Evolution Analysis of the Plant HD-Zip IV Subfamily.

ABSTRACT: Background/Objectives: The terrestrialization of plants has been a significant driver of plant evolution over hundreds of millions of years, and epidermal development plays a crucial role in adapting to terrestrial environments. It is therefore of great interest that the HD-Zip IV subfamily serves as a key regulator of epidermal and cuticle development in plants. However, research on their expansion trajectory, adaptive evolution, and functional divergence remains scarce. Methods: We conducted a functional divergence and adaptive evolution analysis in the plant HD-Zip IV subfamily and confirmed the functional differentiation caused by positive selection site mutations through binding affinity prediction analysis and EMSA experiments. Results: Our findings revealed that

SUBMITTER: Li Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12652440 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature