Identification and expression analysis of the TIFY transcription factor family of Cinnamomum camphora (L.) Presl.

TIFY transcription factors are crucial for regulating plant growth, development, and secondary metabolism. In this study, 21 TIFY transcription factors were identified in theCinnamomum camphora(L.) Presl. genome using bioinformatics analysis, and their expression patterns were evaluated based on transcriptome data. Conserved domain annotation and phylogenetic analysis revealed thatCcTIFYswere classified into four major subgroups, JAZ, ZML, TIFY, and PPD, with the JAZ group further clustered into six clades (JAZ Ⅰ to JAZ Ⅵ). The 21CcTIFYswere unevenly distributed across nine chromosomes, and intraspecific collinearity analysis detected 14 syntenic gene pairs but no tandemly duplicated gene pairs, indicating that segmental duplication events played a vital role in the expansion of theTIFYgenes in the camphor tree. Interspecific collinearity analysis suggested that CcTIFYs were most closely related to TIFYs in poplar. In addition, expression analysis indicated that two-thirds of the members exhibited tissue-specific expression. NotablyCcJAZ11,CcTIFY1, andCcJAZ4/5showed higher expression in flowers, roots, and developing seeds,  respectively. Among the different chemotypes, five members were differentially expressed in leaf tissue, including four up-regulated genes in the citral type and one up-regulated gene in the methyl eugenol type. This study provides insights into the molecular mechanisms of tissue development and secondary metabolite  production in the camphor tree.