Characterization and Expression Analysis of the ALOG Gene Family in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

ALOG (<i>Arabidopsis</i> LSH1 and <i>Oryza</i> G1) proteins constitute a plant-specific family of transcription factors that play crucial roles in lateral organ development across land plants. Initially identified through forward genetic studies of Arabidopsis LSH1 and rice G1 proteins, ALOG family members have since been functionally characterized in various plant species. However, research focusing on the characteristics and expression patterns of all <i>ALOG</i> family members in rice remains relatively limited. In this study, we systematically characterized <i>OsALOG</i> family genes in rice. Compared to other genes in rice and <i>Arabidopsis</i>, the ALOG family genes have a relatively simple structure. The alignment of OsALOG amino acid sequences and analysis of disorder predictions reveal that all members possess conserved ALOG domains, while the conservation of intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) is relatively low. Four amino acids-alanine, glycine, proline, and serine-are significantly enriched in the IDRs of each ALOG protein. Synteny analysis indicates that most <i>OsALOG</i> genes have undergone considerable divergence compared to their counterparts in <i>Arabidopsis</i>. Bioinformatic analysis of <i>cis</i>-regulatory elements predicts that <i>OsALOG</i> family genes contain elements responsive to ABA, light, and methyl jasmonate, although the abundance and composition of these elements vary among different members. The expression patterns associated with the rice floral development of <i>OsALOG</i> genes can be broadly categorized into two types; however, even within the same type, differences in expression levels, as well as the initiation time and duration of expression, were observed. These results provide a comprehensive understanding of the structural characteristics and expression patterns of <i>OsALOG</i> members in rice.