Genome-wide analysis suggests divergent evolution of lipid phosphotases/phosphotransferase genes in plants

Genes of the LPPT (lipid phosphatase/phosphotransferase) family play important roles in lipid phosphorous transfer and triacylglycerol accumulation in plants. To provide overviews of the plant LPPT family and their overall relationships, here we carried out genome-wide identifications and analyses of plant LPPT family members. A total of 643 putative LPPT genes were identified from 48 sequenced plant genomes, among which 205 genes from 14 plants were chosen for further analyses. Plant LPPT genes belonged to three distinctive groups, namely the LPT (lipid phosphotransfease), LPP (lipid phosphatase), and pLPP (plastidic lipid phosphotransfease) groups. Genes of the LPT group could be further partitioned into three groups, two of which were only identified in terrestrial plants. Genes in the LPP and pLPP groups experienced duplications in early stages of plant evolution. Among 17 Zea mays LPPT genes, divergence of temporal-spatial expression patterns was revealed based on microarray data analysis. Peptide se...