Bioinformatic Analysis and Expression Profiling of the Isopentenyl Transferase (IPT) Gene Family in Sesame

Nikfekr, Roohollah; Hashemipetroudi, Seyyed Hamidreza; Kazemitabar, Seyedkamal; Ranjbar, Gholamali; Mehrabanjoubani, Pooyan

doi:10.30473/cb.2026.78035.2039

Bioinformatic Analysis and Expression Profiling of the Isopentenyl Transferase (IPT) Gene Family in Sesame

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

¹ Instructor of Payame Noor University

² Department of Genetic Engineering and Biology, Genetics and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute of Tabarestan (GABIT), Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University (SANRU), Sari, Iran.

³ Associate Professor. Department of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology. faculty of Crop Sciences, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari, Iran

⁴ Department of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology. faculty of Crop Sciences, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari, Iran

⁵ Department of Basic Sciences, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari, Iran

10.30473/cb.2026.78035.2039

Abstract

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is one of the most important oilseed crops of the Pedaliaceae family due to its stable unsaturated fatty acids and high nutritional value. Cytokinins are important plant hormones involved in growth, cell division, and responses to environmental stresses. The isopentenyl transferase (IPT) gene family plays a key role in cytokinin biosynthesis. In this study, bioinformatic analysis and expression profiling of the IPT gene family were performed in sesame. Gene sequences were obtained from the NCBI database, and physicochemical properties of the proteins were analyzed using the Expasy (ProtParam) server. After confirmation of conserved domains, 15 IPT genes were identified and mapped onto sesame chromosomes. The results showed that SiIPT8 to SiIPT15 were located on chromosome 5. In addition, ten conserved motifs were identified among the protein sequences, with motifs 1, 2, and 4 being the longest motifs. Phylogenetic analysis classified the IPT family into four major groups and revealed that SiIPT3 and SiIPT4 clustered with AtIPT3. Relative expression analysis of SiIPT4, SiIPT5, SiIPT6, and SiIPT7 using Real-Time PCR showed differential expression patterns, with SiIPT4 exhibiting the highest expression level and SiIPT5 the lowest. These findings suggest that SiIPT4 may serve as a promising candidate gene for functional studies and molecular breeding programs in sesame.

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