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International Journal of Innovative Approaches in Agricultural Research 2026, Vol 10(1) 1-17

YABBY Transcription Factors in Chickpea: Evolutionary Footprints and Functional Clues under Drought Stress

Serdar Coşkun • E. Sümer Aras • İlker Büyük
Cite this article
Article Type
Research article
Publication Date
May 27, 2026
Pages
1-17
DOI
10.29329/ijiaar.2026.1423.13

Abstract

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an important plant species globally due to its economic value and nutritional content. The YABBY gene family plays a significant role in the growth and development of plants. A review of the literature reveals that there has been no prior study conducted on the YABBY gene family in chickpea. Based on this gap, the aim of this study is to perform a comprehensive analysis of the YABBY gene family in chickpea (C. arietinum L.) and to evaluate the transcript levels of these genes under drought stress. This study aims to uncover the potential roles of YABBY proteins in drought tolerance. YABBY proteins were identified and classified using chickpea genome data through bioinformatic approaches. Phylogenetic analysis, motif structure, chromosomal localization, and gene structure were examined. The expression levels of YABBY genes under drought stress were visualized in the form of a heat map using in silico techniques. As a result of the analyses, 8 CaYABBY family members were identified in the chickpea (C. arietinum L.) genome. These proteins range in length from 97 to 221 amino acids. The isoelectric points (pI) of YABBY proteins range from 5.15 to 9.58, covering both acidic and basic ranges, and their molecular weights vary between 10.90 and 24.62 kDa. CaYABBY gene family could be classified into the INO, YAB5, YAB2, CRC and FYAB3 subgroups. The genomic distribution of YABBY proteins in chickpea (C. arietinum L.) is irregular, although they share similar motif structures. According to our RNA-seq data, YABBY proteins may potentially play a role in the molecular adaptation processes of chickpea (C. arietinum L.) under drought stress. These results give a good starting point for more research on how chickpeas work and suggest possible ways to make them more resistant to drought by using breeding or genetic methods.

Keywords: Bioinformatics Chickpea Genome-wide analysis YABBY genes
Cite this article
Coşkun, S., Aras, E. S., & Büyük, İ. (2026). YABBY Transcription Factors in Chickpea: Evolutionary Footprints and Functional Clues under Drought Stress. International Journal of Innovative Approaches in Agricultural Research, 10(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.29329/ijiaar.2026.1423.13

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