Divergence of Bowman-Birk Protease Inhibitor Family into seed-specific and environmentally responsive subfamilies in Legume and Soybean: Implication for Legume Seed Composition Improvement.
Zhibo Wang, Helen Jiang, Keshun Liu, Neeta Lohani, Saurav Misra, Luis B. Gómez-Luciano, Luis Gomez-Luciano, Suresh Pokhrel, Ray Collier, Shawn M. Kaeppler, Yong‐qiang Charles An
This study investigates the molecular evolution and functional divergence of Bowman-Birk inhibitors in legumes and cereals, showing that seed-specific and environmentally responsive subfamilies exist, and demonstrates that reducing seed-specific BBIs improves nutritional value without affecting agronomic traits.
bioRxiv · Aug 26, 2025 · PreprintPlant Biology