*3.2. Protein Domain Analysis*

Two additional non-LEA conserved protein domains that are associated with stress response were detected in the CsLEA\_2 subfamily proteins (Supplementary Figure S1). At least one WHy (Water stress and Hypersensitive response) [15,16] and one COG5608 domain (LEA14-like desiccation related protein) was spotted within each single protein sequence from the CsLEA\_2 subfamily. The COG5608 domain was previously detected in the Arabidopsis LEA14 protein, a well characterized abiotic stress marker protein, which suggests that the CsLEA\_2 subfamily proteins may function similarly to Arabidopsis LEA14 protein (*Atlea1*). On the other hand, a thorough functional characterization of the WHy domain has only been elucidated in a few bacterial genes, *dwhy1* [15] and *drwh* [45]. Studies in vivo indicated that *dwhy1* confers cold and freeze damage resistance. Furthermore, in *E. coli*, the function of *drwh* is related to oxidative stress tolerance and salinity stresses. Silencing this gene triggered reduced activity of antioxidant enzymes such as lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) malate dehydrogenase (MDH) [15,45]. All the *CsLea\_2* subfamily genes contained the WHy domain which could explain the functional importance of this domain during low water availability in a typical desert grass, *C. songorica*.
