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Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.), a versatile medicinal and economic crop, harbors untapped genetic resources essential for stress resilience and metabolic regulation. The TEOSINTE BRANCHED1/CYCLOIDEA/PROLIFERATING CELL FACTOR (TCP) transcription factors, exclusive to plants, are pivotal in orchestrating growth, development, and stress responses, yet their roles in safflower remain unexplored. Here, we report the comprehensive identification and characterization of 26 safflower TCP genes (CtTCPs), categorized into Class I (PROLIFERATING CELL FACTOR, PCF) and Class II (CINCINNATA and TEOSINTE BRANCHED1/CYCLOIDEA, CIN and CYC/TB1) subfamilies. Comparative phylogenetics, conserved motif, and gene structure analyses revealed a high degree of evolutionary conservation and functional divergence within the gene family. Promoter analyses uncovered light-, hormone-, and stress-responsive cis-elements, underscoring their regulatory potential. Functional insights from qRT-PCR analyses demonstrated dynamic CtTCP expression under abiotic stresses, including abscisic acid (ABA), Methyl Jasmonate (MeJA), Cold, and ultraviolet radiation b (UV-B) treatments. Notably, ABA stress triggered a significant increase in flavonoid accumulation, correlated with the upregulation of key flavonoid biosynthesis genes and select CtTCPs. These findings illuminate the complex regulatory networks underlying safflower's abiotic stress responses and secondary metabolism, offering a molecular framework to enhance crop resilience and metabolic engineering for sustainable agriculture [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TCP is a plant-specific transcription factor that plays an important role in plant growth and development. In this study, we used bioinformatics to identify the entire genome of the TCP gene family in Glycyrrhiza inflata Bat, and we analyzed the expression characteristics of GiTCP genes under UV-B radiation using qRT-PCR. The results were as follows: (1) 24 members of the TCP gene family were identified in G. inflata, evenly distributed on its 24 chromosomes. (2) The GiTCP genes contained 0–4 introns and 0–5 exons. (3) The GiTCP genes were phylogenetically divided into three subfamilies—PCF, CIN, and CYC/TB1, with 14, 9, and 1 GiTCP proteins, respectively. (4) A covariance analysis showed that two pairs of GiTCP genes underwent a fragmentary duplication event. (5) A cis-element analysis showed that the cis-responsive elements of the GiTCP genes' promoter regions were mainly comprised of light-responsive, stress-responsive, hormone-regulated, growth and development, and metabolic-regulated elements. (6) A protein network interaction analysis revealed a total of 14 functional molecules of TCPs and 8 potential interacting proteins directly related to GiTCP proteins. (7) GO annotation showed that the GiTCP genes were mainly enriched in BP, CC, and MF groups and had corresponding functions. (8) RNA-seq and qRT-PCR further indicated that GiTCP3, 6, 7, 8, 12, 14, 17, 23, and 24 were up- or down-regulated in G. inflata after UV-B radiation, demonstrating that these genes responded to UV-B radiation in G. inflata. (9) Subcellular localization analysis showed that the GiTCP8 protein was localized in the nucleus. The results of this study provide a basis for further exploration of the function of the GiTCP gene family in the growth and development of G. inflata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Fate determination is indispensable for the accurate shaping and specialization of plant organs, a process critical to the structural and functional diversity in plant kingdom. The TEOSINTE BRANCHED 1/CYCLOIDEA/PROLIFERATING CELL FACTOR (TCP) family of transcription factors has been recognized for its significant contributions to plant organogenesis and morphogenesis. Recent research has shed light on the pivotal roles that TCPs play in fate determination. In this review, we delve into the current understanding of TCP functions, emphasizing their critical influence on fate determination from the organelle to the cell and organ levels. We also consolidate the molecular mechanisms through which TCPs exert their regulatory effects on fate determination. Additionally, we highlight intriguing points of TCPs that warrant further exploration in future research endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]