Genome-Wide Identification, Phylogenetic Analysis and Salt-Responsive Expression Profiling of the MYB Transcription Factor Family in Cannabis sativa L. During Seed Germination

Seed germination is a critical developmental stage exhibiting high vulnerability to salt stress. The role of MYB transcription factors (TFs) in mediating this process in <i>Cannabis sativa</i> L. remains largely unexplored. In this study, we performed a genome-wide analysis and identified 115 <i>CsMYB</i> genes, which were phylogenetically classified into 12 distinct subgroups. In silico promoter analysis revealed a significant enrichment of abscisic acid (ABA)- and methyl jasmonate (MeJA)-responsive cis-elements, suggesting their potential linkage to phytohormone signaling pathways under stress conditions. To investigate their expression during salt stress, we profiled a subset of candidate <i>CsMYB</i> genes during seed germination under 150 mM NaCl treatment based on RNA-seq screening at 24 h post-imbibition (hpi) under salt stress. These candidates exhibited distinct temporal expression profiles: <i>CsMYB33</i> and <i>CsMYB44</i> were transiently induced at the early stage (12 h post-imbibition), while <i>CsMYB14</i>, <i>CsMYB78</i>, and <i>CsMYB79</i> showed sustained upregulation from 24 h to 5 days. In contrast, <i>CsMYB58</i> and <i>CsMYB110</i> were downregulated. Synteny analysis indicated a closer evolutionary relationship between <i>CsMYBs</i> and their <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> orthologs compared to those in monocots. Protein-protein interaction predictions, based on orthology, further implicated these <i>CsMYBs</i> within putative ABA signaling and reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis networks. Collectively, our findings provide a systematic genomic identification and genomic characterization of the <i>CsMYB</i> family and propose a model for the potential multi-phase involvement of selected CsMYBs in the salt stress response during seed germination. This work establishes a foundational resource and identifies key candidate genes for future functional validation aimed at enhancing salt tolerance in <i>C. sativa</i>.