Abstract：The respiratory burst oxidase homolog (RBOH) gene family plays a crucial role in plant development and stress responses, but its members and functions in blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) remain unclear. This study aimed to identify and analyze the expression patterns of VcRBOH gene family, providing insights into its stress resistance mechanisms and molecular breeding. Based on whole-genome data of blueberry, VcRBOH gene family was identified using bioinformatics methods. The physicochemical properties of encoded proteins, gene structures, phylogenetic relationships, cis-acting elements in the promoters, and expression patterns were systematically analyzed. A total of 16 VcRBOH genes were identified on 13 chromosomes in blueberry, containing conserved NADPH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate) oxidase domains. Phylogenetic tree analysis classified these proteins into 3 subgroups. The results of collinearity analysis indicated that the VcRBOH gene was closely related to Arabidopsis thaliana, and there are 18 pairs of collinearity relationships. Promoter analysis demonstrated that the VcRBOH gene family promoters harbor abundant hormone-, stress-, growth and development-related regulatory elements. The transcriptome data and qRT-PCR results indicated tissue-specific expression patterns of VcRBOH genes among different cultivars. The qRT-PCR results showed that VcRBOHA, VcRBOHB, VcRBOHC, VcRBOHD, VcRBOHJ, VcRBOHK and VcRBOHL were expressed across various organs and were induced by pathogenic stresses such as anthracnose (Colletotrichum spp.) and gray mold (Botrytis cinerea). This study lays a theoretical foundation for further functional studies of disease resistance genes and resistance breeding in blueberry.
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