Classification and Computational Analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana Sperm Cell-Specific F-Box Protein Gene 3p.AtFBP113.

In plants, F-box proteins (FBPs) constitute one of the largest superfamilies of regulatory proteins. Most F-box proteins are shown to be an integral part of SCF complexes, which carry out the degradation of proteins and regulate diverse important biological processes. Anthers and pollen development have a huge importance in crop breeding. Despite the vast diversity of FBPs in Arabidopsis male reproductive organs, their role in anther and pollen development is not much explored. Moreover, a standard nomenclature for naming FBPs is also lacking. Here, we propose a standard nomenclature for naming the FBPs of Arabidopsis thaliana uniformly and carry out a systematic analysis of sperm cell-specific FBP gene, i.e., 3p.AtFBP113 due to its reported high and preferential expression, for detailed functional annotation. The results revealed that 3p.AtFBP113 is located on the small arm of chromosome and encodes 397 amino acid long soluble, stable, and hydrophilic protein with the possibility of localization in various cellular compartments. The presence of the C-terminal F-box associated domain (FBA) with immunoglobulin-like fold anticipated its role in protein binding. Gene ontology based functional annotation and tissue-specific gene co-expression analysis further strengthened its role in protein binding and ubiquitination. Moreover, various potential post/co-translational modifications were anticipated and the predicted tertiary structure also showed the presence of characteristic domains and fold. Thus, the outcomes of the study will be useful in developing a better understating of the function of 3p.AtFBP113 during the process of pollen development, which will be helpful for targeting the gene for manipulation of male fertility that has immense importance in hybrid breeding.