Paper Title
GENOME-WIDE IDENTIFICATION OF THE PEROXIREDOXIN GENE INCHICKPEAS (CICER ARIETINUM L.)AND STUDY OF THEIR GENE EXPRESSION UNDER DROUGHTAND SALT STRESS CONDITIONS.

Abstract
Plant development and productivity are critically affected by environmental stresses because of the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS).Peroxiredoxins (PRXs) are cysteine–dependent peroxidases ubiquitously found in all kingdoms of life. They emerged as an important antioxidant enzyme that is centralto regulating peroxide levels within cells. A detailed study about the PRX family in Chickpeas is still mysterious (Cicerarietinum L). In the whole chickpea genomic sequence, 9 PRXs were identified. These 9 genes were identified based on redoxin, 1- cys-PRX_C, AhpC-TSA (Alkyl hydroperoxide reductase subunit C/ Thiol specific antioxidant) domain, and the conserved site (PxxxTxxC---S--W/F). Phylogenetic analysis of the peroxiredoxin gene fromCicer arietinum,Gossypium hirsutum, Oryza sativa, and Arabidopsis thaliana revealed their strong conservation in these plant species. Subcellular localization of the gene demonstrates that it is randomly present in almost all cell compartments but mainly localized in chloroplast, cytoplasm, and mitochondria. The structure of the gene on the chromosome displays that it is present in all chromosomes with a maximum no of genes on chromosomes 3 and 6. The occurrence of cis-regulatory elements analyzed in the promoter sequences of the gene revealed their specific responsiveness to plant hormone regulation and different abiotic stresses. The gene structure analysis revealed the existence of 0–8 introns and 1-9 exons among the family members. Publicly available transcriptome data of chickpeas show the differentially expressed gene in different organs of chickpeas and under drought conditions for drought-sensitive and tolerant cultivars of chickpeas. This genome-wide study also validates the gene expression level through real-time PCR. For the further functional analysis of the peroxiredoxin gene, this type of in silico study will serve as a base to infer the role of the gene in the adaptation of chickpeas to diverse environmental conditions. Keywords - ROS, PRX, Thioredoxin, Chickpea, Ubiquitous, Peroxiredoxin, Localization, PCR