Abstract: Gene clusters refer to special regions in which two or more genes are closely clustered and functionally related. Previous studies have implied that some genes with gene cluster characteristics have evolved to participate in sexual reproduction（such as anther development and formation of male gametes） in flowering plants. However,little is known about the molecular evolution and transcriptional regulation of these gene clusters involved in plant sexual reproduction. Arabidopsis thaliana extracellular lipase（EXLs）（1～6） are GDSL（Gly-Asp-Ser-Leu） lipases that play an important role in anther development and male gamete formation. In this study, bioinformatics method has been used to first understand structural characteristics and homologous evolution of EXLs（1～6） gene clusters, and results have been shown that EXLs（1～6） possess typical gene cluster characteristics, showed high homology in their amino acid sequences, and that clusters of their homologous genes were found as well in dicotyledonous plants. Promoter element analysis, expression analysis and dual luciferase system were integrated to further investigate the transcription regulation of EXLs（1～6）, which showed that although all 6 EXLs were highly expressed in anther, they had different cis-regulatory elements in their promoter regions, and their expressions were regulated by different transcription factors, leading to different expression patterns. Based on above-mentioned data, our findings assume that functions of homologous genes of Arabidopsis thaliana（EXL）（1～6） gene cluster in sexual reproduc tion are not completely redundant, and their generation may be the result of functional specialization. Their different temporal and spatial expression patterns may be further refined in function result. Results of this study provide a scientific basis for exploring the evolution and function of the EXLs（1～6） gene cluster in plant sexual reproduction.