Fuente: PubMed "pollen" Int J Biol Macromol. 2026 Jun 20:153112. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2026.153112. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTDespite the advantages of heterosis, lettuce breeding historically relies on conventional methods due to a lack of male-sterile germplasm. Within the cytochrome P450 (CYP) monooxygenase superfamily, the CYP703A subfamily, responsible for sporopollenin biosynthesis, represents an ideal target for genome editing to generate male-sterile lettuce. In this study, we first conducted a comprehensive identification of the CYP gene family in lettuce. A total of 379 LsCYPs were obtained, and sequence analyses confirmed the presence of the CYP domain (PF00067) in all identified LsCYP proteins. Phylogenetic analysis classified these LsCYPs into 9 clans and 61 families according to their homology to Arabidopsis counterparts, as further supported by gene structure, conserved motifs, and domain composition analyses. Transcriptome data indicated that nearly one-third of LsCYPs exhibited altered expression under heat stress, suggesting their potential roles in thermal tolerance. In particular, the emphasis was placed on the functional characterization of LsCYP703A, which is specifically expressed in developing flowers. Phenotypic analysis of overexpression and knockout LsCYP703A lines revealed its essential role in pollen wall formation. Furthermore, the "AMS-MYB80-CYP703A" signaling pathway was investigated in lettuce, supporting its evolutionary conservation within Asteraceae lineage. Together, these findings provide a comprehensive overview of the LsCYP gene family and functional evidence for the involvement of LsCYP703A in male sterility, offering valuable resources for hybrid lettuce breeding.PMID:42323103 | DOI:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2026.153112