Identification of bhlh transcription factor genes in genome of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and analysis by bioinformatics tools

Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proteins represent a large family of eukaryotic transcription factors. It has been the subject of the research in many species such as plants, animals, fungi, as they are involved in many of cellular and developmental processes. Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) is one of the most cultivated species due to its easy adaptation to environmental conditions, tolerance to temperature, easy to feed, and consequently good growth. Although its genome sequence has been published, bHLH protein characterization of this fish has not been performed before. In this study, bHLH gene family of rainbow trout were determined using bioinformatic tools. As a result of the analysis, 441 OmybHLH genes encoded in the rainbow trout genome were identified. Besides, chromosomal localizations, conserved motifs, predication of three-dimensional protein structure, gene ontology, phylogenetic relations and evolutionary relationships with different species have been examined for these proteins in the study. The current study is important in terms of understanding the structure, functions and evolutionary relationships of the members of bHLH gene family, which are involved in many developmental processes such as cell renewal, differentiation, stem cell formation and nerve cells formation. Besides, it presents a good resource for other studies analysing bHLH genes in different species.