Objective Lycium barbarum is an important medicinal herb. Sucrose non-fermenting 1 (SNF1)-related protein kinase (SnRK) family plays important functions in plant growth and development. This paper aims to identify and analyze the SnRK gene family in L. barbarum, providing a theoretical basis for revealing its functional mechanisms during fruit development.

Method Bioinformatics analysis was performed using software including NCBI, SMART, Pfam, Protparam tool, MEME, PlantCare, and Mega to identify the LbSnRK gene family in L. barbarum genome. The study analyzed the physicochemical properties of its proteins, gene structures, conserved motifs, promoter cis-acting elements, and phylogenetic relationships. Transcriptome data were integrated to examine its expression patterns during Lycium barbarum fruit development.

Result (1) Forty-nine LbSnRK genes were identified from the L. barbarum genome, with the LbSnRK gene family being divided into three subfamilies: LbSnRK1 (3 members), LbSnRK2 (16 members), and LbSnRK3 (30 members). Chromosomal localization analysis revealed that all 49 LbSnRKs genes were distributed across 12 chromosomes of L. barbarum. Among these, chromosomes 1 and 2 harbored the highest number of LbSnRKs members, each containing five members. (2) Analysis of promoter cis-acting elements revealed that LbSnRK genes were rich in motifs, such as GT1 (auxin response), G-box (jasmonic acid signaling), and ABRE (ABA response), suggesting involvement in hormone-mediated growth and development as well as stress response pathways. Co-linearity analysis indicated that segmental duplication was the primary mechanism for LbSnRK gene family expansion. The Ka/Ks ratios of all 13 duplicate gene pairs were less than 1, suggesting they had undergone purifying selection during evolution. (3) Transcriptome analysis revealed that LbSnRK1.1, LbSnRK2.3/2.4/2.7/2.10, and multiple LbSnRK3 members were significantly expressed during fruit development.

Conclusion The LbSnRK gene family exhibits potential regulatory roles in L. barbarum fruit development, providing core targets for elucidating the molecular mechanisms, by which these genes regulate fruit development. It also offers crucial genetic resources and theoretical support for molecular breeding efforts, aiming at improving L. barbarum fruit quality.