Abstract

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a vital root crop, providing a staple carbohydrate source for over 800 million people, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. Its resilience to marginal soils and drought underscores its importance for food security amid climate change. However, limited dry matter content and starch yield constrain its full potential for consumption and industrial use. Recent genomic advances have identified candidate genes linked to carbohydrate metabolism, yet functional characterization remains incomplete. This study focuses on the cassava gene LOC110624725, encoding an Actin-Related Protein (ARP), hypothesized to regulate carbohydrate accumulation and dry matter content. Using comprehensive computational approaches, including sequence annotation, conserved domain analysis, structural modeling, and molecular docking, we confirmed the translation of the ARP gene into a functional protein exhibiting hallmark features of the actin superfamily. The protein displays a globular structure with conserved ATP-binding and filament-binding domains, closely resembling canonical actins from Hevea brasiliensis and Jatropha curcas. Homology and phylogenetic analyses revealed strong conservation of ARP across diverse plant taxa, emphasizing its evolutionary and functional significance. Gene structure analysis demonstrated conserved exon–intron arrangements across species, while functional annotations linked ARP to carbohydrate metabolism and storage reserve accumulation. Molecular docking simulations further identified multiple high-affinity ligand-binding sites, supporting a role in intracellular signaling and structural organization. These findings suggest that cassava ARP contributes to cytoskeletal regulation, vesicular transport, and starch granule organization, thereby influencing dry matter accumulation and root development. This study advances our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underpinning carbohydrate metabolism in cassava and highlights the potential of ARP as a target for genetic improvement aimed at enhancing yield and processing quality under climate stress.