Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of the Laccase Gene Family in Fragaria vesca and Its Potential Roles in Response to Salt and Drought Stresses

Laccase (<i>LAC</i>, EC 1.10.3.2) is integral to the formation of lignin synthesis, flavonoid production, and responses to both biotic and abiotic stresses. While recent studies have characterized numerous <i>LAC</i> gene families and their functions across various plants, information regarding <i>LAC</i> genes in woodland strawberry (<i>Fragaria vesca</i>) remains limited. In this study, we identified a total of 57 <i>FvLAC</i> genes in the <i>Fragaria vesca</i> genome, which were phylogenetically categorized into five distinct groups. Analysis of the gene structures revealed a uniformity in the exon-intron structure among the subgroups, while conserved motifs identified unique motifs specific to certain subgroups, suggesting functional variations. Chromosomal localization studies indicated that <i>FvLACs</i> are distributed across seven chromosomes, and collinearity analysis demonstrated that <i>FvLACs</i> exhibit collinearity within the species. Additionally, cis-acting element analysis suggested that <i>FvLAC</i> genes are involved in stress responses, hormone responses, light responses, and the growth and development of plants. qRT-PCR demonstrated that <i>FvLACs</i> responded to salt, drought, and hormone stresses, with the expression levels of <i>FvLAC24</i>, <i>FvLAC32</i>, and <i>FvLAC51</i> continuously increasing under these stress conditions. Furthermore, transgenic yeast experiments revealed that <i>FvLAC51</i> enhanced yeast tolerance to both salt and drought stresses, while <i>FvLAC24</i> and <i>FvLAC32</i> negatively regulated yeast tolerance under these same conditions. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for further investigation into the functions of <i>FvLAC</i> genes in woodland strawberry.