Characterization, Expression Profile Analysis, and Functional Prediction of UGP Gene Family in Dendrocalamus brandisii

UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (UGPase) is essential for carbohydrate metabolism, catalyzing UDP-glucose synthesis, a precursor for sucrose and cellulose biosynthesis. While <i>UGP</i> genes have been widely studied in plants, their functions in <i>Dendrocalamus brandisii</i> remain unclear. This study identified and characterized the <i>DbUGP</i> gene family using the whole genome and transcriptome data of <i>D. brandisii</i>, in conjunction with whole genome data from 10 additional species through sequence alignment, phylogenetic analysis, gene structure and motif exploration, protein structure prediction, and expression profiling. Phylogenetic analysis showed eight identified <i>DbUGPs</i> clustered with two <i>OsUGPs</i> in two clades. Gene structure, motif, and collinearity analyses indicate conservation with other bamboo <i>UGPs</i>. The gene family exhibited segmental duplications. Expression profiling revealed <i>DbUGP1</i>/<i>5</i> were highly expressed in flowers, while others were enriched in shoots, buds, and culms. <i>DbUGP1</i>/<i>4</i>/<i>8</i> were significantly downregulated during culm maturation. Protein structure prediction indicated two conformations with catalytic sites in disordered coil regions. WGCNA identified co-expression modules and protein interaction networks centered on <i>DbUGP1</i>/<i>4</i>, while KEGG enrichment indicated their functions in metabolism, signal transduction, and stress adaptation. Promoter analysis identified cis-regulatory elements responsive to light, MeJA, and ABA. This study suggests that the evolutionarily conserved <i>DbUGPs</i> exhibit mutual coordination and dynamic expression during <i>D. brandisii</i> growth, providing fresh insights into their functional roles.