Genome-Wide Characteristics and Responsive Expression of HSP Family Genes in Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium L.)

Plant resilience to abiotic stress is primarily dependent on the synthesis as well as the buildup of specific proteins that facilitate stress adaptation. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are essential for preserving cellular homeostasis when cells are exposed to stressful conditions. Currently, the HSP families are present in many higher plant species. Among them, the 70 kDa (HSP70s) and 90 kDa (HSP90s) heat shock proteins participate in essential processes related to plant growth, development, and stress adaptation; however, their regulatory mechanisms in sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) have yet to be elucidated. This study detected 11 HSP70 and 6 HSP90 genes in the sweet cherry genome and analyzed their physicochemical traits and similarities. Various bioinformatics tools were used to predict gene structure, phylogenetic trees, subcellular localization, and cis-elements of promoters. According to predictive experiments, HSP70 and HSP90 contribute to the regulation of various abiotic stress responses in sweet cherry plants. Using real-time quantitative PCR, HSP70 and HSP90 were detected in multiple organs, displaying partially overlapping but distinct expression patterns in response to various abiotic stresses. The findings of this study revealed the structural characteristics and expression dynamics of heat shock protein genes in sweet cherry under abiotic stress.