Genome-Wide Analysis of the DNA-Binding with One Finger Gene Family Reveals Soybean Expression Pattern and Functional Analysis

The Dof (DNA-binding with one finger) domain protein family is a plant-specific zinc finger transcription factor family that plays a role in various biological processes in plants. However, research on <i>Dof</i> transcription factors in soybean (<i>Glycine max</i>) remains limited. In this study, we identified 79 putative soybean <i>Dof</i> genes, which are distributed across the entire genome. A comparative phylogenetic analysis of the <i>Dof</i> gene family in soybean, <i>Arabidopsis</i>, rice, maize, and <i>Medicago</i> revealed five major groups. The synteny relationship analysis showed a large number of gene duplication events in soybean. Twelve cis-acting elements were detected in the promoter region of the <i>Dof</i> gene, including five hormone response elements and several environmental response elements. Expression pattern analysis indicated that most <i>Gmdof</i> genes exhibited specific expression patterns. Nine genes in group V, which exhibited higher expression in the root, were identified as significantly responsive to salt stress through qRT-PCR. The possible biological functions of several <i>Gmdof</i> genes were discussed, including <i>Gmdof11.2</i>, <i>Gmdof2.1</i>, and <i>Gmdof16.2</i>. In summary, this study integrated phylogenetic analysis with genome-wide expression profiling to provide valuable information for understanding the functional characteristics of <i>Dof</i> genes in soybean.