Identification and Analysis of Stress-Associated Protein (SAP) Transcription Factor Family Members in Pinus massoniana

Stress-associated proteins (SAPs), belonging to the A20/AN1 zinc finger protein family, are key regulators in plant stress responses. Despite their importance, studies on the SAP gene family in <i>Pinus massoniana</i> are still relatively scarce. This study aimed to systematically identify and characterize SAP genes in <i>P. massoniana</i> and to explore their potential roles in stress response mechanisms. A total of 17 <i>PmSAP</i> genes were identified from <i>P. massoniana</i>. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that these genes group into five distinct clades, and 10 conserved motifs were identified. Using transcriptome data and qRT-PCR, we analyzed their expression patterns and employed yeast systems to validate their transcriptional activities. The responses of <i>PmSAP</i> gene family members to different stress treatments showed significant differences. For example, <i>PmSAP8</i> and <i>PmSAP12</i> responded strongly to ABA, MeJA, and H₂O₂ treatments, while <i>PmSAP3</i> and <i>PmSAP5</i> showed significant upregulation under ETH and NaCl stress. Yeast experiments indicated that <i>PmSAP6/8/12</i> were transcriptional activators, and <i>PmSAP3</i> and <i>PmSAP5</i> were transcriptional suppressors. The identification and preliminary analysis of <i>PmSAP</i> genes provided a theoretical foundation for understanding stress resistance mechanisms in <i>P. massoniana.</i>