*Article* **Genome-Wide Identification and Analysis of** *MYB* **Transcription Factor Family in** *Hibiscus hamabo*

**Dina Liu 1,2,†, Chunsun Gu 1,2,3,†, Zekai Fu 1,2 and Zhiquan Wang 1,3,\***


† These authors contributed equally to this work.

**Abstract:** MYB transcription factors constitute one of the largest gene families in plants and play essential roles in the regulation of plant growth, responses to stress, and a wide variety of physiological and biochemical processes. In this study, 204 MYB proteins (HhMYBs) were identified in the *Hibiscus hamabo* Sieb. et Zucc (*H. hamabo*) genome and systematically analyzed based on their genomic sequence and transcriptomic data. The candidate HhMYB proteins and MYBs of *Arabidopsis thaliana* were divided into 28 subfamilies based on the analysis of their phylogenetic relationships and their motif patterns. Expression analysis using RNA-seq and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) indicated that most *HhMYB*s are differentially regulated under drought and salt stresses. qRT-PCR analysis of seven selected *HhMYB*s suggested that the HhMYB family may have regulatory roles in the responses to stress and hormones. This study provides a framework for a more comprehensive analysis of the role of MYBs in the response to abiotic stress in *H. hamabo*.

**Keywords:** MYB family; transcription factors; abiotic stress; semi-mangrove plant; *Hibiscus hamabo*
