Goyal_2026_Int.J.Biol.Macromol_349_150870

GDSL-type esterases/lipases (GELPs) are a multigene family with broad substrate specificity and involved in critical growth, and development pathways in plants. Although GELPs have been characterized in various monocots and dicots, their identification and analysis in Brassica juncea, a key oilseed crop, remain unreported, and no comparative analysis exists across the six species of the U's triangle. In this study, 215 GELPs were identified in B. juncea and 1126 GELPs across U's triangle species. Phylogenetic analysis classified these genes into four major clades (I, II, III, IV) and several subclades. Transcriptome analyses using public datasets for B. juncea showed expression of over 65% of GELPs, with many exhibiting seed-preferential expression patterns. Notably, some GELPs involved in fatty acid degradation during seed maturation are known as seed fatty acid reducers (SFARs). Thirteen SFAR genes were identified in B. juncea and grouped into three major phylogenetic clades. Based on qRT-PCR analysis, BjuSFAR2, BjuSFAR3, and BjuSFAR4 showed very high expression in buds and seeds over the leaf and pod tissues. Haplotype analysis identified superior haplotypes in four SFAR genes (Bju.SFAR2.A04, Bju.SFAR4.A06a, Bju.SFAR4.A06b, Bju.SFAR1.B06) associated with increased oil content in B. juncea, contributing a 6-9% rise in oil content. Several high-oil content B. juncea varieties showed positive associations with these haplotypes, supporting their potential use in haplotype breeding. This study provides a comprehensive characterization of the GELP family in Brassicas and offers insights into seed oil regulation, facilitating oil content improvement in B. juncea through haplotype-based breeding and/or gene editing of theSFARs.