Genome-wide identification of MATE family, and functional analysis of MATE involved in anthocyanin accumulation in Daucus carota

Multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) is a family of membrane transporters that transport ions and secondary metabolites like anthocyanins in plants. Although various research on MATE has been carried out on different plant species, this is the first comprehensive report to exploit the Daucus carota genome to identify the MATE gene family. We investigated the chromosomal distribution, gene duplication, motif identification, cis-element analysis, in vitro cultures, stress treatment, protein docking, and simulation of DcMATEs. Our studies identified 45 DcMATEs through genome-wide analysis and detected five segmental and six tandem duplications from its genome. The chromosome distribution, phylogenetic analysis, and cis-regulatory elements revealed the structural diversity and numerous functions associated with the DcMATEs. Further, we quantified anthocyanin content and identified the co-expression of DcMATE21 with anthocyanin biosynthesis genes in in vitro cultures under ABA, SA, MJ, SNP, and PHE stress treatments. In addition, membrane dynamics of DcMATE21 with anthocyanin (cyanidin-3-glucoside) identified the binding pocket showing extensive H-bond interactions with ten amino acids present in the transmembrane helix of 7, 8, and 10 of DcMATE21. This investigation speculates the involvement of DcMATE21 in anthocyanin accumulation in in vitro cultures of D. carota.