Comprehensive Analysis of Sorghum CNGC Genes Reveals Their Potential Roles in Abiotic Stress Responses

Background/Objectives: Cyclic nucleotide-gated channel (CNGC) genes play crucial roles in plant growth, development, and stress responses, yet their functions in sorghum remain poorly understood. Methods: This study systematically analyzed sorghum CNGC genes through genome-wide identification, encompassing chromosomal mapping, phylogenetic relationships, gene structure, cis-acting elements, miRNA regulation, and GO/KEGG annotation. Results: A total of 23 sorghum CNGC genes were identified and classified into five subclasses (I-IV-b), exhibiting high evolutionary conservation with rice and maize. Promoter and miRNA analyses revealed multi-level regulation involving light, hormones (ABA, JA), and stress response elements. Several SbCNGC genes were predicted to be regulated by multiple miRNAs. Expression profiling and qRT-PCR validation indicated that most SbCNGC genes responded to both high-temperature and low-temperature stress. Expression analysis revealed tissue specificity and stress-induced transcriptional responses. Notably, SbCNGC1 remains consistently upregulated under both cold and heat stress, suggesting a potential key role in Ca²⁺-mediated signaling. Conclusions: This study systematically characterizes SbCNGC genes for the first time, reveals their potential role in abiotic stress tolerance, and provides a valuable resource for sorghum functional genomics and molecular breeding.