Comprehensive analysis of VOZ proteins in sweet potato and related species reveals their evolutionary dynamics and responses to abiotic stresses

Zhidan Zuo, Yeshun Sheng, Chenglin Jia, Huihui Ma, Yuxin Wang

Front Plant Sci.; 2026 Mar 13: 17:1775128.doi: 10.3389/fpls.2026.1775128.

Abstract

VOZ (Vascular Plant One-Zinc Finger) transcription factors represent a plant-specific family of regulatory proteins that are pivotal in controlling plant growth, developmental processes, and adaptive responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Although VOZ genes have been reported in multiple plant species, their genomic organization, evolutionary history, and functional dynamics in sweet potato remain largely unexplored. In this study, a comprehensive genome-wide investigation of VOZ family members was conducted across six Ipomoea species, namely I. aquatica (Iaq), I. cairica (Ica), I. nil (Inil), I. triloba (Itb), I. trifida (Itf), and Ipomoea batatas (Ib). In terms of their phylogenetic relationships, protein properties, gene architecture, conserved motifs, promoter cis-elements, chromosomal localization, and collinearity patterns, 14 VOZ genes were identified and systematically analyzed. The findings reveal a contraction in VOZ copy number, accompanied by structural and functional divergence during the evolutionary trajectory of these Ipomoea species. Furthermore, transcriptional profiling and protein-protein interaction network characterization in sweet potato indicate that VOZs from I. trifida (ItfVOZs) and I. batatas (IbVOZs) are implicated in developmental regulation, hormone-mediated signaling pathways, and stress adaptation. Collectively, this study provides a comprehensive genomic framework for the VOZ gene family across six Ipomoea species and provides a solid foundation for elucidating their functional roles in sweet potato.

See https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41907756/

Figure 1: Analysis of the physicochemical properties of VOZ proteins in I. aquatica, I. cairica, I. nil, I. triloba, I. trifida and I. batatas.(A) Number of amino acids of VOZ proteins. (B) Molecular weight of VOZ proteins. (C) Theoretical isoelectric point (pI) of VOZ proteins. (D) Instability index of VOZ proteins. (E) Aliphatic index of VOZ proteins. (F) Grand average of hydropathicity (GRAVY) of VOZ proteins. (G) Predicted secondary structures of VOZ proteins. (H, I) Predicted three-dimensional (3-D) structures of IbVOZ1 and IbVOZ2, respectively. Ipomoea aquatica, Iaq; Ipomoea cairica, Ica; Ipomoea nil, Inil; Ipomoea triloba, Itb; Ipomoea trifida, Itf; Ipomoea batatas, Iba. The ten amino acids at the starting position of the protein were labeled blue, and the ten amino acids at the ending position were labeled white.