Genome-Wide Identification of PR10 Family Members in Durum Wheat: Expression Profile and In Vitro Analyses of TdPR10.1 in Response to Various Stress Conditions

The functional characterization of PR10 proteins has been extensively studied in many plant species. However, little is known about the role of TdPR10 in the response of durum wheat (<i>Triticum durum</i> Desf.) to stress. In this study, we identified members of the <i>T. durum</i> PR10 family, which are divided into three major subfamilies based on phylogenetic analyses. The analysis revealed that tandem duplication was the primary driver of the expansion of the <i>T. durum PR10</i> gene family. Additionally, gene structure and motif analyses showed that <i>PR10</i> family genes were relatively conserved during evolution. We also identified several cis-regulatory elements in the <i>TdPR10</i> promoter regions related not only to abiotic and biotic stress but also to phytohormonal responses. In response to abiotic stresses and phytohormones, several <i>TdPR10</i> genes were highly expressed in the leaves and roots of durum wheat. Moreover, TdPR10.1 family members improve RNase activity, increase LDH protective activity under abiotic stress conditions, and ensure resistance to fungi in vitro. Collectively, these findings provide a basis for further functional studies of <i>TdPR10</i> genes, which could be leveraged to enhance stress tolerance in durum wheat.