Genome-wide identification and characterisation of the glycoside hydrolase gene family in <i>Penicillium expansum</i>

The glycoside hydrolase (GH) gene family, crucial for pathogen growth and infection, has been poorly studied in <i>Penicillium expansum</i>, a major apple pathogen. This study identified 152 GH genes across 78 contigs in <i>P. expansum's</i> genome using bioinformatics. Phylogenetic analysis categorized these into five subfamilies with similar structures and motifs, revealing 15 conserved motifs. Expression analysis highlighted 42 GH genes significantly active during apple wound infection, grouped into 20 expression profiles, with three showing notable differences. Notably, <i>PEX2_082040</i> exhibited significant expression changes at key infection stages. These findings underscore the GH family's role in apple blue mould infection, offering insights for functional studies and control strategies against apple decay.