Glutamate receptor proteins (GLR) play essential roles in response to abiotic and biotic stresses in plants. However, the genome-wide analysis of GLR genes has not been comprehensively carried out, and their functions remain poorly understood in potato. In this project, 30 GLR genes were divided into three subgroups named GLR-II, GLR-III, and GLR-IV based on a phylogenetic analysis together with Arabidopsis. These genes were unevenly distributed on eight chromosomes and expanded through gene duplication. Conserved domains, including ligand-binding regions and transmembrane domains, and cis-acting elements associated with light, stress, and hormone responses were prevalent among StGLRs. Notably, StGLR3.5 and StGLR3.7 contained 14–3-3 binding motifs, suggesting potential phosphorylation regulation by calcium-dependent protein kinases. Furthermore, the expression analysis revealed that StGLR3.2/3.4/3.5, StCDPK1/5/7/9 and StRbohA were significantly induced by L-Glu treatment. Also, the enhanced resistance to Fusarium sulphureum in L-Glu-treated tubers was obviously observed, indicating that wound-released L-Glu activates GLR-mediated signaling, triggering downstream defense responses. These results provide a valuable basis for deeply digging into the biological role of GLR genes in potato. However, further investigations are needed to elucidate the mechanistic details of GLR signaling.
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